Clannad: Different Days
by TranscendentOne
Summary: What happens if episode 18 of Clannad unfolded in a...different way? It wouldn't be quite the same story that you might remember, even if it feels strangely familiar. A different world, different relationships, different events...different days...
1. Chapter 1

_2/05/2012__ (Last edited on 7/02/2014 – Added something at the very beginning of this chapter and story in general. Yes, there is a reason why…)_

_Hello, people of Fanfiction dot net. This is my very first fanfic that I have ever written in my entire life. I do apologize in advance if my writing is terrible or if my descriptions of things are terrible or if the character's personalities are a little off. I've been visiting this website for years but I've never made an account until recently. _**Clannad**_ is my favorite anime series of all time, so I felt compelled to write a story of my own. I hope you enjoy it. And any feedback that you can provide would be nice and very appreciated. ^_^ And with that, here is chapter 1: _

_Paragraphs in italics denote a flashback.  
>Rated T for Brief language and suggestive themes.<br>Genre: Comedy/Drama/Romance/Slice of Life_

Author's Note #1: One last thing, the beginning of my story starts at the very beginning of episode 18 of the first season, **_Counter Measures_** (**逆転の秘策**, _Gyakuten no Hisaku_). (Just in case you're wondering where my story fits in) Of course, things are eventually going to deviate quite a bit from the continuity of the anime series. I've never played the visual novel, so Kyoto Animation's anime adaptation will be where I'm drawing most of my inspiration from. But, I am aware of certain things and events from the visual novel, so I'll probably incorporate some elements from there, too. Despite that, I assume everyone who is reading this has finished all of _**Clannad** _and _**Clannad ~After Story~**_.

Author's Note #2: I'm still debating as to whether or not I want Tomoya to end up with someone by the end of this long story that I'm about write here. Though I still have no idea how I want to end this story yet (since this is going to be a very long story), I might take into consideration feedback from whoever might read this story of mine. Of course, I might just stick with my own ending that I come up with later on. It's still something that I'm debating in my head...

Author's Note #3: This story will be told mostly from Tomoya's point of view. There will be some instances where the perspective will switch over to another character or to a general third-person perspective, and it'll be pretty obvious as to when that happens. But otherwise, it'll mostly be Tomoya's perspective that the story is told from.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything **_Clannad_**-related, even though I wished I did...

* * *

><p><strong><span>Clannad ~Different Days~<span>**

-The Everyday Arc-

_Vague Synopsis - It's not quite the same story that you might remember, even if it feels strangely familiar. A different world, different relationships, different events...different days..._

**Chapter 1 – A Half-Remembered Dream, Part 1**

_Earth, before the pain._

_Hikarizaka, before I was born. _

_A world that has ended, where nothing is born and nothing can die._

_A world between worlds, outside of time and space. _

_A place I've only seen pictures of. _

_I know you, but we've never met. _

_I'm with you... But I don't know your name. _

_I know I'm dreaming, but it feels like more than that. _

_It feels like a memory. _

_…How can that be?_

* * *

><p>I think, a long time ago, a woman once told me that "Pain is in the mind." I guess she had a point since our brains are the very reason we can even feel physical pain to begin with. And it begged the question… How much pain can our minds endure before we crumble? How much suffering can our hearts take before we break? If we ever reach that point, if we ever hit the bottom of the barrel, what do we do then? How do we escape the pain? Do we lie to ourselves in order to be happy? Do we choose to believe in another world outside of our own mind? Do we continually feed ourselves lies in order to escape reality? How far is a person willing to go in order to believe in their lies? Everyone is guilty of lying at least once in their life. We all have our reasons for doing so, selfless or selfish as they may be. Sometimes, we don't even have much of a choice to begin with. We do what we must... in order to survive. I think it must be human instinct.<p>

It all began with a single drop of snow that came from the night sky. Slowly, it fell, drifting downwards until it joined with the snow that had already permeated the ground. Soon, more began to fell from the heavens, until it appeared like droplets of raining that were falling in slow-motion. It was mesmerizing to behold in its silent beauty, surrealistic to the senses, like something from a dream, a winter wonderland of sorts. Even without uttering a single word, I couldn't help but be entranced by the sight of it. And yet, at the same time, I felt melancholic.

I was merely watching this scene unfold behind the comforts of a building and a room alit with candles. I was not actually outside to be able to fully drown myself in the cold weather. The windows kept me separated from the outside world as I stared outside in longing desperation. I couldn't explain it, but… there was something… oddly familiar about that snow.

Regardless of whatever my opinions were, there was one fact that I knew for sure…

I was tied to a chair.

It only took a few seconds, but I realized that I was tied to a wooden chair with some rope, abdomen and legs both constricted, unable to freely move. There was this unusual pain that had subsided for the most part, disappearing as quickly as it came. As I turned my gaze upward, I saw that my friends were just silently staring at me. I couldn't tell what they were thinking, but their faces spoke of sadness…and disappointment? Maybe I was imagining things.

And then I turned to gaze at my surroundings, as far as a guy tied to a chair could anyway. I immediately recognized the room that I was now sitting in. It was the room where the Drama Club called its home. From the boxes full of old theater props from years past sitting in one corner of the room, to the way the desks and chairs were arranged to leave an empty space near the middle of the room, I knew exactly that this was the same room.

"I can't believe it's come to this, Okazaki."

"Wait, is that you, Sunohara?" I tilted my entire head backward as far as I could and saw Sunohara upside-down, standing quite a ways behind the chair that I was now tied to. At his worst, he was a nuisance, and at his best, he was an enduringly loyal friend who's been with me for the past few years now. The fact that he apparently had some role in my being here right now… certainly wasn't comforting.

Under normal circumstances, me being tied to a chair with some rope and surrounded by several beautiful girls should sound like the ultimate erotic fantasy, the stuff that a young male teenager like me… occasionally fantasizes about. But then you have to take into account the fact that I couldn't remember how I even got here, and the fact that my so-called best friend was just conveniently standing a few paces behind me while I was in such a… binding state, I couldn't help but feel… a _little_ worried about where this was heading. Nothing about this situation felt right in my mind…

"Tomoya, you can't run away from us forever, you do realize that, right?"

"Tomoya-kun, are you scared of us?"

"Okazaki-san, it's probably my fault that you're in this situation right now."

"All of us here have something important that we want to say to you, Okazaki-kun."

I found myself asking why I was able unable to remember how I even got into this classroom to begin with. How did I even get here? No matter how hard I tried to focus my brain, I couldn't recall a single memory at all. Why was I having trouble remembering anything? A sense of panic was beginning to build up inside of me.

"Wait, can someone please explain what exactly is going on here?" I figured that Sunohara wouldn't be of any help in this situation, so asking him would prove useless. Knowing him, he was probably getting a kick out of all of this. Hell, he was probably the one who strapped me to this chair to begin with! But then again, considering all of those times where I had pranked him, I suppose this was… adequate payback in a sense.

One of the girls standing in front of me stepped forward from the tiny group and slowly approached me. It was Nagisa.

"You have to choose, Okazaki-san. You must." Choose what exactly again? This had to be a nightmare of some kind. Maybe if I just willed myself, I would be able to wake up... right? That was what I wanted to believe.

"You know the answer, Okazaki." My gaze shifted from Nagisa over to the source of the voice, Tomoyo.

"I'm dreaming." I kept muttering that tiny phrase over and over again, staring in abject horror that I was in such a bizarre nightmare. Why was I dreaming of such a scenario? They say that dreams are half imagination and half fragmented memories. But if this really was a dream, maybe it wasn't supposed to make any sense to begin with. Then again, I couldn't remember the last time I was aware of the fact that I was inside a dream. Having those kinds of dreams was pretty rare, last I heard.

Then, without my realizing it, everyone had started whispering amongst themselves. Despite my sharp ears, I couldn't tell what they were saying. It was all random garbled noises to me that left me worried as I could tell there were scheming something regarding me and my fate. Something then immediately caught my eye and attention, as a short girl holding what appeared to be a wooden star in both of her hands clasped tightly. The room fell into silence as we all just stared at the girl, wondering what she would do next.

She took a quick but deep breath, but staring at me with a piercing intensity, her mouth began to open but something was off. Despite the fact that her lips were moving, there wasn't a single bit of sound that came out at all. It was unsettling, like I was watching a silent film without any subtitles that went along with it. I couldn't read lips so I had no idea what she was trying to say to me, but before I could think about this any further, she had stopped talking altogether. I noticed that the wooden star that the girl was holding onto was now in her right hand, her arm pulling back and winding up in a circular motion… as if she was about to throw the object in her hand straight at me.

Upon this sudden realization, I tried wriggling my entire body out of the way, even though I was tied up to the chair. I didn't get far though because instantaneously, the wooden star collided abruptly with my head, the force tipping the entire chair I was bound in backwards, as I felt myself falling, succumbing to gravity's pull, dreading the inevitable impact I would soon have with the ground. My eyelids forcibly closed themselves shut now, unwilling to look at anyone anymore, waiting for the fall to finally occur. What kind of dream was I in? But if this really was a dream, maybe it wasn't supposed to make any sense to begin with. Then again, I couldn't remember the last time I had a lucid dream. Those were really rare.

And then, I heard a cry. Somebody was crying loudly, but judging by its volume, it was a long distance away from this room. It was full of unbearable sadness and sorrow that made me slightly wince. My eyes flashed opened immediately, wanting to know what direction it was coming from.

Everything was turned sideways, as it should as I was slowly falling backwards in my chair, but that wasn't the strange part. At first, after staring out the window for several seconds, I thought that time had come to an absolute standstill, but the longer I stared at this one single speck of snow outside the window, the more I realized that time was just moving like molasses, ever so slowly.

The snow kept falling, gently still but infinitely slower than it had ever been. I couldn't tell where the crying came from, whether it was from outside or inside my head, but I knew that the more I heard it, the more I felt… that it somehow… sounded nostalgic to me, like a far-off memory from long ago. In the darkness of my mind, I heard a quiet faint whisper. I didn't know whose voice it belonged to, but I would never forget the words that were uttered to me, a gentle serenity that felt so intimately familiar to me, I felt as if it came from someone who I used to know from long ago.

"Come find me… when you wake up."

That was the last thing I remembered before darkness turned to light.

* * *

><p>It was a peaceful spring day. I was lying fast asleep under the comfort of my bed sheets. I could faintly hear the twittering of birds outside of my windows. I didn't want to get out of bed today at all, but I was awoken by a familiar voice.<p>

"It's morning, Okazaki. Wake up!"

Realizing that it was Tomoyo's voice I heard, I turned my head to the other side as I groggily opened my eyes, struggling to awaken my body from its slumber. I must've not slept well from last night at all. My body was struggling just to give a proper response to the girl. My eyes came into contact with a magenta red apron that Tomoyo was wearing, different from the white and blue school uniform that I typically saw her wearing. Staring a little more closely, I noticed that her uniform was underneath the apron all along. I wondered how early she comes over here just to wake me up and judging from the apron, she was here to make breakfast, too.

"What are you doing here?" I asked her, only half-conscious at the moment.

"What do you think? I'm here to wake you up, of course."

Right, wake me up. Wait a minute; I just remembered… I had been suspended from school. I closed my eyes again briefly and thought back to the reason behind my suspension. Tomoyo and I were about to walk home from school. A horde of thugs appeared, wanting revenge against Tomoyo. Two days ago or so, Sunohara had used Tomoyo herself as a form of intimidation against some punks on the street. They probably didn't like, not one bit, to put it mildly. Tomoyo, wanting to teach those guys a lesson, was about to fight them herself, but I intervened at the last moment. She had plans to run for student council president and being caught up in a fight would surely screw her chances over. I couldn't risk that at all. The fight only lasted a few moments, but a teacher came by shortly afterwards. All of those punks ran away the moment they say him. Before Tomoyo can admit her role in this mess, I took full responsibility for the event and was subsequently suspended as a result. And that's how things are up to this point.

I quietly groaned as I reopened my eyes again, trying to stay conscious again. I would have to make a mental note and… _repay_ Sunohara for his idiocy. I wouldn't be in this position that I've found myself in if it weren't for him.

"I'll be ready in a few minutes. Think I can get some time alone to prepare?"

"What if you fell asleep again? Maybe I should stay here and watch over you for a bit."

"Watch me… while I'm changing my clothes?"

It wasn't until the question was fully asked that I realized what Tomoyo just asked from me. I felt a sudden rise of heat creeping slowly onto my cheeks. I noticed her cheeks mirrored my own as she had to turn her entire head away to divert her gaze from me.

"On second thought, maybe that's not such a good idea." A nervous, stifled laugh escaped from her mouth. It was an awkward moment indeed. I felt that changing the subject would help make the situation more bearable for Tomoyo.

"I'm hungry."

"Heh, I'll go make some breakfast for the both of us, okay, Okazaki?" I was greeted with a warm gentle smile. Seeing Tomoyo's face beaming like that made me feel warm inside. Her sapphire eyes were shining with sheer brilliance as I began to lose touch with my surroundings, simply staring at her form. It wasn't until I realized what I was doing that I snapped back into reality once more.

"Yeah, sure. I'll be out in a moment." It was a good thing that Tomoyo didn't realize I was staring at her for a moment there. I probably would've provoked an unnatural response from the silver-haired girl. Well, at least she was more reasonable than say, Kyou…

Tomoyo simply nodded her head as she slowly made her way out of my room, gently closing the door behind me. Taking one big yawn that involuntarily escaped my mouth, I gradually got out from under my blanket and off my bed and slowly walked towards my closet, grabbing my school uniform. Putting on my shirt and blazer, I began contemplating about Tomoyo once more. The two of us have become closer over the past few days, haven't we? In fact, now that I stopped and thought about it, she had been hanging around me a whole lot more frequently than before. She must really… like me… if she was going out of her own way just to wake me up and make breakfast. In fact, most guys would dream of having a beautiful girl pampering them like that every single morning. I struggled to admit that she might like me, for the implications of being in any kind of romantic relationship right now would be bad, since I have my own suspicions that Tomoyo isn't the only girl who likes me. Choosing one girl over all the others, one girl ends up happy and all the others with broken hearts. And I would be the only one at fault. I didn't want to bear that burden. I didn't want to lose my friends. I didn't want things to change at all.

Change... I remember a few weeks ago, I was walking to school one morning, contemplating as to whether or not anything in my ordinarily mundane life would ever change. I had no dreams or aspirations for the future. I was merely a drifter of sorts. I didn't pay attention in class 'cause I just didn't care. I know a senior, a third year student, shouldn't be so pessimistic about what direction my life will head in once I graduate, but up until a certain point, I really had no emotional attachments to the school that I've been attending and to this little town as well. A part of me just wanted to flee from this place, to escape from the monotony. I thought my life would've stayed this way forever... And then… I saw her…

I met a certain auburn-haired girl beneath a sakura tree…

That was the first time I met her. It was a chance meeting... that lasted less than 45 seconds. **[1]**

And ever since then, my life has been slowly changing. I befriended that girl through the time that we have spent together so far and I now found myself with a goal, even though it was just a short-term one: to help her bring the Drama Club back. Even though I still didn't know what the future holds for me, my life was looking far less bleak than it ever did. At least, I could concentrate on the present, on helping my friends and enjoying what precious little time I had left with them.

Within my thoughts, my mind subconsciously wandered back to the girl who was now downstairs preparing breakfast for the both of us. Tomoyo Sakagami, a junior at Hikarizaka High School. Silky long silver hair that reached all the way down her back. Radiant sapphire eyes that you could get lost in if you stared at them for more than a few seconds. A black headband rested on top of her head, keeping the hair up there in one neat place. I first met her in the track and field area a few weeks ago when three thugs randomly decided to stop by the school to cause some trouble. Or at least, that was what I had initially thought. I mean, what are the chances that three thugs just decided to show up one day at school anyway? And what are the chances that some valiant hero shows up at the last second to defend us all? That's something you don't see happening every day. Anyway, Tomoyo kicked all of their asses with zero effort. Made it look so easy, too. Nagisa, Sunohara, and I, along with a bunch of other students were watching the entire scene unfold before us. Barely even took her a whole minute before all three of them were lying on the dirt, unconscious and bruised, both in pain and in pride. Sometimes, I wondered if she was even human. She was very athletic as well, which might explain all of that power she possessed and those impressively strong and smooth legs she has. Despite that, she had told me on one occasion that she wanted to act more feminine. In passing, she said that she was under the impression that she "was acting like a girl and not some bully" at our school. At first, I thought Tomoyo was speaking figuratively, but if she really meant that… literally… If she really was a bully of some sorts before coming to our school, that would certainly explain a lot of things…

_As I continued to slowly dress myself, my mind began to drift back, slowly warming up, trying to recall the immediate past. A lot of things have transpired within the past few days. I remember that Sunohara and I were accompanying Tomoyo home one day. Sunohara had the stupid idea of guiding us through an area where a bunch of punks were residing. I assume that they had their own beef with him, but the moment that they saw Tomoyo's incoming figure, they were cowering in fear already, rushing to get away from our little group. Her mere presence had the ability to invoke absolute fear. She was already beginning to feel skeptical about Sunohara's choice of a route home, so I decided to improvise and intervene. I saw the sadness in her eyes, those sapphire eyes of hers that were about to shed tears any moment now. _

"_I see, so you just wanted to come to this coffee shop?" The next thing I knew, the three of us were sitting in this quaint little store, drinking a few cups of coffee. Our table was right up against the window which overlooked the street right before us. I was sipping on my cup of java, staring into the orange-lit sky. It was late afternoon and the sun was setting soon. Even so, the sun was still piercing bright at this point in the day, but it dimmed beyond the horizon enough for me to gaze out the window for a little while. Tomoyo's abrupt comment broke my quiet reverie as I turned my head from the twilit window towards her. _

"_And guess what? All of this is Sunohara's treat. See, he's not such a bad friend after all!" I had to continue this façade that I was building for Tomoyo's sake. I suspected that she was able to see through it, but I had to try nonetheless. _

"_Mm-hm. And from now on, you can consider me a friend too, okay, Sunohara?" She was smiling radiantly at my comment. Maybe it was working after all. Maybe I was being too optimistic. _

"_Yeah, it will be my pleasure." Sunohara responded nervously. I threatened to expose the truth to Tomoyo if he didn't go along with my plan. She would've pounded his ass like usual, not like that was a bad thing, though. Somebody has to keep his idiocy in check every now and then. _

"_You know, it's always been his dream to bring a girl to this place."_

"_Really?" Tomoyo's innocent question promptly brought a slight blush onto Sunohara's cheeks as he silently consumed the coffee he was holding in his hand. _

The dream that I had... before I woke up just now... Tomoyo was in it, along with everyone else. What exactly was that dream trying to tell me anyway? Was it... _really_ a dream... or was there... something that I was missing here? Nothing about that dream made any logical sense. But then again, some dreams tend to be like that. It was in their nature. I decided that this was a matter that I should save for another time. I needed to find Tomoyo before I worried her even further. She was probably wondering why I was taking so long.

* * *

><p>"Where's my dad?" I found myself asking Tomoyo as I stared at the breakfast that she made for me.<p>

"I'm not sure. He wasn't here when I showed up." I wondered where he could have gone. He didn't leave for work until later, so his absence was a little… strange.

"Sorry that you ended up making me breakfast. I'm sure it was a pain." As I looked at the table full of food that Tomoyo prepared for me, I couldn't help but wonder how early she got up just to make all of this. It'd be a shame to let the food go to waste.

"I'm the one who should be sorry. If I'd been more careful, then you wouldn't be in trouble right now."

"Don't say that."

"I know it was your choice. But I should have been suspended, not you. Honestly, I'm still torn up about all this. I appreciate what you did, but I can't help but feel like I should go to the office and tell them the truth."

"That's the last thing you should do. Like I said, no matter what else happens, you have to be elected student council president." I made that sacrifice for her sake, for the sake of the Drama Club, so that Nagisa's dream could finally come true. And I would do and say anything to make sure that Tomoyo's sacrifice didn't go to waste. Hearing something like that made me feel a little depressed, I mused to myself.

"For the Drama Club, right? But still, even if I would...Oh..."

"Oh, what have we here?" Turning to the source of the voice, I noticed that my father had returned from wherever he was. Where did he go anyway? Not that I cared, but curiosity sometimes gets the better of me. Luckily, now was one of those times where I was able to suppress the urge to ask.

"Oh, good morning, sir! Why don't you sit down and have breakfast with us?" Tomoyo happily greeted my old man. I seriously hope my dad didn't decide to sit next to me… But as luck would have it, I ended up jinxing myself just for _thinking_ of something. The mind can be a terrifying thing, and I would eventually know just how terrifying it would be before I reached the end of all of this…

"That would be nice. We haven't had a real breakfast like this in quite a while. Thank you very much. Here, I'll sit down next to Tomoya." …I just had to say that, didn't I? Needless to say, I now found myself in a very awkward position right now. My dad, a man who I harbored bitter feelings of resentment for, had decided to sit next to me at the table for breakfast. Tomoyo being here in my house didn't help matters at all. Sooner or later, she was going to notice something wrong with me. The last thing that I wanted to do was to draw attention to myself over a personal issue that I had with my father. Before I get ahead of myself, I should probably explain, for those who didn't already know my… personal history. About three years ago or so, when I was in ninth grade, my dad and I got in a bad fight and my right shoulder was injured as a result. The best doctors tried to fix the problem, but all of them failed. I used to be on a basketball team. Been playing since my middle school days, but due to this injury, I don't think that I can ever play basketball ever again. The incident drove me and my father apart in an emotional sense. We became strangers living in the same house, unable to hold any meaningful conversations for long. I guess it was partly my fault that we didn't get along anymore, since whatever pitiful attempts my dad made at reconciliation, I drove him away with my pissed-off anger. A deep-seated issue like this couldn't be resolved so easily, not in a day, or a week, or a month, or a year, or a decade, or ever… But maybe, a small part of me probably did want to become a family again, but I was too stubborn to admit ever admit it.

That about sums things up. It may be brief, but you get the general idea, I hope. Talking about my injury doesn't really make me feel any better about it. In fact, bringing it up just makes things a bit more depressing for me…

To avoid arousing too much suspicion from Tomoyo, I decided to eat her warm breakfast, silently and swiftly. I didn't make any eye contact with either my dad or Tomoyo. I felt a little guilty on the inside, but the resentment that I have toward my father isn't going to die any time soon. Little did I realize that regardless of what I did, Tomoyo was watching me very carefully. I only took a very quick glance in her direction and I saw her eyes meeting mine. I had to look away immediately, embarrassed that she might've gotten the wrong idea.

"Thanks for the food. It was good." I quietly replied to Tomoyo, finishing up my share of the meal. I wanted me to eat more, but I wanted to get away from my father too. I knew I had to get out of there quickly before I did something stupid and regrettable.

"Okazaki, wait! What's wrong?" I heard the worried tone in her voice. Now the guilt inside of me was starting to build, but I couldn't bear to be around my father any longer. I rushed to the front of my house, quickly put on my shoes, and left my house. Before my right hand was able to close the front door entirely, I heard my father talking with Tomoyo. I guess she would be the one to explain the situation to her. I would have to apologize to her sometime in the future, if I can remember to do so…

"I think I should be the one to explain this…" That was all I heard, before I slowly shut the door behind me and left for Sunohara's apartment.

* * *

><p>I now found myself sitting in Youhei Sunohara's apartment right now. He gave me a spare set of keys just in case I needed to crash here for a bit. When I got there, the guy was still sleeping in his bed. I wish I could afford that luxury right about now, to be able to sleep peacefully with a dumb smile on my face. I could faintly hear him mumble "You punks..." in his blissful slumber. He was most likely referring to those rugby guys down the hall. His muttering gave me an idea. I do need to <em>repay <em>Sunohara after all. If it weren't for him, I wouldn't even be suspended to begin with. I had a small pang of guilt for what I was about to do, but at the same time, I needed to get some retribution for what the stupid bastard put me through…

"Sunohara, wake up!" I found myself yelling at him. Before that, I found a pair of boxers that he left on the floor. For my own amusement, I decided to stick it on his head. I wondered if he was going to notice anything. Knowing how oblivious Sunohara could be at times, probably not.

"What do you want? It's too early."

"A girl's here to confess her love to you." I knew that such a comment would definitely get his attention, and I wasn't disappointed in the least, grinning at the sight before me.

"Are you for real? Woohoo! Blast off!" I could always count on Sunohara to be as predictable as ever. He immediately leapt out of his bed and left his room running, door slamming shut. Shortly afterwards, I heard some yelling coming from the rugby guys who were down the hall. I guess they noticed the pink boxers on Sunohara's head by now. He returned back into his room several moments later, slightly disheveled now, most likely due to the rugby team.

"Argh!" Well, at least I feel a bit better now, seeing Sunohara roughed up like that. His overreactions were ever amusing as always. Yes, I'll admit, I can be a sadistic bastard… and a terrible human being for saying such things. But the guy had it coming to him after the trouble he put me through. He was… mostly to blame for my suspension to begin with, after all.

"Chance can be a scary thing." I whimsically mused at him, grinning smugly at the sight before me.

"So, is that your idea of fun?"

"Pretty much. Well, if nothing else, at least it woke you up."

"Woke me up? Are you kidding? That guy knocked me out!" He took one long drawn-out, deep breath before continuing on. "Anyway, I'm about to head off to school. You gonna stay here all day?"

"Yeah, say hi to Kyou and the others for me."

Just as Sunohara was about to open the door to leave, he turned around and asked me a simple question. "You're probably gonna leave the apartment, aren't you?"

"I might. Need to move around and whatnot." I probably was going to leave for a bit, but on the off-chance that I didn't, at least my response would've been honest either way.

"Figured you would. Just remember to lock the door before you leave, okay?"

"Yeah, got it." I flashed him a thumbs up and a small smile to go with it. And with that, the door closed and Sunohara was gone. I lingered around in his room for a bit, sitting on the floor and staring off into space for no particular reason at all. I thought about where I should go when I leave Sunohara's room. Should I just wander around town? I found myself asking that question in my mind. I would've been bored unless I had at least one clear destination in mind. But where would my destination even be to begin with?

…And then, an idea came to me from out of the ether. Something compelled me to visit the shopping district of the town. It would take me a long while if I went there on foot, so I knew I had to hop on a bus. On days where I wanted to avoid going home to my father, I would usually take a detour through the shopping district, usually wandering around aimlessly or buying something to eat. Maybe I would find something… or some_one_ interesting there today. With that motivation in mind, I got up and left Sunohara's room, being driven by an emotion that was undefinable by mere words.

* * *

><p><span>Author's Note #4<span>: Chapter 1 ends at about the ~3:52 mark of episode 18, with some liberties taken, of course.

_Footnotes_:

**[1]** – A reference to episode 1 of the 2007 Studio Shaft-animated/Shin Oounma-directed anime series **_ef: a tale of memories_**.

_Well, that's the end of chapter 1. If you actually made it to the end of the chapter, then I salute you for being able to put up with my story. If it's not asking too much, any kind of feedback, be it pointing out spelling/grammar mistakes, suggestions, or just your thoughts and feelings on this chapter, anything would be great. All I ask is that you remain civil and keep things constructive. That's all. ^_^'_

_If I get some positive feedback, I'll continue on with this story. :) If I don't, then I obviously failed as a writer and as a _**Clannad**_ fan and that'll be the end of that. XD_


	2. Chapter 2

_2/26/2012 – (Last edited on 04/11/2013 – Minor spelling/grammar corrections) I managed to get this chapter done a little ahead of schedule. Since it's the same day that the 84th Academy Awards is taking place (personally rooting for _**_Hugo_**_ to win the big prize, but _**_The Artist_**_ will most likely win Best Picture) and the big game at the NBA All-Stars weekend, I felt that getting the 2nd chapter up today would've been neat. Lo and behold..._

__Hello, people of FanFiction dot net. I'm back again with the next chapter of my very first fanfic that I have ever written in my entire life. I'm thankful that I've gotten reviews for my story, even if there are only 2 at the moment. A little positive feedback is better than no feedback at all. It motivates me to continue on with this story of mine. ^_^ I do apologize in advance if my writing is terrible or if my descriptions of things are terrible or if the character's personalities are a little off. Even though some of the character's personalities might/will be slightly altered for the sake of my fanfic, I'll try to remain faithful to their overall "spirit" that was portrayed in the anime series. Clannad is my favorite anime series of all time, so I felt compelled to write a story of my own. I hope you enjoy it. And once again, any feedback that you can provide would be nice and very appreciated. ^_^ And with that, here is chapter 2: _  
><em>

_Paragraphs in italics denote a flashback. Single words in italics / single words in regular print during a flashback denote emphasis and should be read as such.  
><span>Chapter rated T for<span>: Brief mild language and suggestive themes.  
><span>Genre<span>: Comedy/Drama/Romance/Slice of Life  
><span>Pairing(s)<span>: None at the moment (Tomoya x Tomoyo has been teased, though...)  
><em>

Author's Note #1: The beginning of this chapter starts 3:53 minutes into episode 18 of the first season.

Author's Note #2: I'm still debating as to whether or not I want Tomoya to end up with someone by the end of this long story that I'm about write here. Though I still have no idea how I want to end this story yet (since this is going to be a very long story), I might take into consideration feedback from whoever might read this story of mine. Of course, I might just stick with my own ending that I come up with later on. It's still something that I'm debating in my head. I've now included a poll on my profile page. You can go vote for your choice. ;)

Author's Note #3: The beginning of this chapter is told from someone else's point of view. (You'll eventually know who's narrating once you keep reading on. XD) The perspective will shift back to Tomoya later on in the chapter.

Author's Note #4: This chapter will be slightly longer compared to chapter 1, but not by a whole lot, though. (Okay, maybe _almost twice as long_ as chapter 1 was...) I hope you don't mind reading for a bit longer. ^_^'

Author's Note #5: For the sake of my fanfic, I'm going to be moving the year that this story takes place in to 2011. I don't know if the visual novel ever mentioned a specific year (I know that the anime series didn't), but regardless, I've chosen 2011 specifically for reasons I can't really divulge, yet...

Disclaimer: I do not own anything _**Clannad**_-related, even though I wished I did...

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><p><strong><span>Clannad ~Different Days~<span>**

-The Everyday Arc-**  
><strong>

_Vague Synopsis - It's not quite the same story that you might remember, even if it feels strangely familiar. A different world, different relationships, different events...different days...  
><em>

**Chapter 2 – A Half-Remembered Dream, Part 2**

The club room was deathly quiet. The only noise that could be perceived was the gentle rustling of leaves by the calm breezy wind which can be heard from one of the windows that was already opened ajar. Through the window, the school yard could be seen from the club room from where we were located. My head was resting on the window railing as the strands in my hair were swaying softly in the gentle wind. My eyes were closed as I let mother nature work her magic and soothe me with her whispering wind. Lazily relaxing in my chair, I had almost forgot that I had a red lollipop in my mouth, my tongue instinctively licking away at it every few seconds, the strawberry flavor melting away onto my tongue. It became automatic to the point of monotony. I was so close to drifting off to sleep until my sister's voice was slowly becoming a little louder, bit by bit. It turned out everyone else had been engaging in a small conversation. My ears had only begun to notice the ensuing conversation the moment I had awoken, and it took a certain guy's name to do it.

"I see. So Okazaki-kun took the blame for Sakagami-san and was suspended." I think she was talking with Youhei when I was still in my slumber, from how Ryou phrased her sentence. By that point, my brain was fully functional once more. Just how far out of touch with reality was I all this time, I had wondered to myself. I must've drowned out everybody's voices during my daydreaming. Wanting to avoid looking rude in front of everyone, I knew I had to join in on the conversation. I didn't want anyone to notice my absentmindedness. Tomoya had been on my mind a whole lot as of late…

"Tomoya, why can't you take care of yourself?" I asked aloud, my question not directed to anyone in particular within the club room. I turned my head towards the right and noticed Sunohara staring silently out the window, standing there with his arms crossed. I wondered what he was thinking right now. It was rather unseemly that he was this quiet. I turned my head back forward and noticed Kotomi sitting directly in front of me in her chair, with Ryou sitting off to the side.

"Do you think Okazaki-kun will be okay? I mean, will he still be able to graduate after all this?" Ryou was definitely worried about our friend and Kotomi shared her sentiments as well.

"I don't know, but I'm really worried."

I decided to momentarily remove the lollipop from my mouth for a bit, wanting to do something different, just to get my body out of this routine daze. "The club leader's absent and Tomoya's suspended. At this rate, how are we supposed to be in the school festival?" All of us pretty much lost the energy to strike up a decent conversation with the two of them gone. Things were definitely not the same with Nagisa and Tomoya gone…

Tomoya Okazaki, a senior of Hikarizaka High School, same as me and my sister Ryou, along with our Drama Club leader Nagisa, Kotomi, and Youhei as well. The only one of us within our circle who wasn't a senior…was Sakagami. I rather not say her name, but it would be… impolite not to. As much as I hate to admit this, she was the most dangerous rival that I had in regards to this whole affair with Tomoya. And technically speaking, Sakagami was more of Tomoya and Youhei's friend. The rest of us would be considered a close acquaintance of the silver-haired girl. I certainly knew that she and I weren't the only girls here at this school who had fallen for the boy who had become infamous for being a delinquent. Mind you, I wasn't the type of girl who was attracted to bad boys at all because Tomoya is really a nice guy. Sure, he may be a prankster along with Youhei, but anybody who has come to know him fully understands just how selfless he can be. I occasionally gave him some flak for being a little _too_ generous, but deep down, that was one thing that… I love about him. Yes, I did love Tomoya. It was hard not to fall for a guy like him. I didn't know if he ever noticed it or not, or if he chose to hide the fact that he was fully aware of this situation, but I hadn't been inviting him to eat lunch with Ryou and me for absolutely no reason. I was sure that by now, he had his suspicions about what my true motives were for wanting to eat lunch with him every day for the past few weeks. He was either staying quiet out of respect… or fear of the dilemma he now found himself in. Despite the fact that I harbored feelings for Tomoya, I knew that my younger sister did as well. Even if I was head over heels for him, I knew that I couldn't be selfish. It would devastate Ryou if Tomoya and I were to become a couple. That was why… I had been trying to push those two together. Ryou was fully aware of my efforts, but I could tell that she was uncomfortable with this plan of mine. She probably shared that same feeling of guilt that I would have as well if either of us were with him.

Nagisa… she told us that she wasn't dating him, so I never really considered the kind-hearted girl a genuine threat to my romantic pursuit for Tomoya. Kotomi had been a childhood friend of Tomoya and she hadn't made any efforts at all to go after him in a romantic sense, so I didn't find her much of a threat, either. Or at least, that was what I've told myself. She had known him for a lot longer than the rest of us girls who were in the drama club. She would know intimate things about his life from his younger years, stuff that me, Ryou, Nagisa, and Sakagami would never be privy to, unless we asked, of course. But even then, I couldn't imagine myself walking up to Tomoya one day and asking him about his childhood. It would be too awkward, not to mention invasive of his privacy. If Tomoya hadn't mentioned one thing about his life before high school, despite the fact that I had known him for over a year now, then it was obvious that he was hiding something far too personal to be saying out loud to anyone. And then there was my younger sister…

Recently, I had been trying to get closer to Tomoya, so that I could set him and Ryou up together somehow. Since Ryou was usually around me, I was hoping that something might spark between her and Tomoya if those two kept hanging around each other. So far, my efforts hadn't yielded anything yet. Every time that there was an ample opportunity for her to make her move, someone or _something_ just inexplicably came along and ruined everything. I couldn't help but wonder whether or not it was all just a coincidence. A part of me wondered if Ryou was intentionally sabotaging all of my attempts. But that couldn't be, could it? She did agree to let me help her, but I felt like… that I wasn't seeing something here. I didn't know if Ryou had noticed this, but sometimes, whenever I glance her way, when her eyes were focusing their attention on something else, I saw a pensive and forlorn look on her face, as if she had regrets about this whole scheme of mine. But that couldn't _possibly_ be… could it? The more I asked myself these questions, the more I contemplated over them. And the more I contemplated over them, the more doubt filled my troubled heart. They say that twins are psychologically connected in a way that transcends words. You see it in the movies all the time, when one twin can sense that the other is in danger as one example. I wished things were really that convenient and simple. Sure, there were times where that connection does become apparent, and yet, there were other times where I feel so disconnected from my younger sister. We were two separate beings after all, even if we did happen to be twins. She was Ryou Fujibayashi, the shy timid twin, and I was Kyou Fujibayashi, the stubborn headstrong twin. We were pretty much complete opposites, for crying out loud! It was a miracle that the two of us had gotten along so well our entire lives with little conflicts involved. And I was thankful for that, really.

I wasn't exactly a mind reader, you know? It _would_ be pretty useful if I was, but then again, it would be a very exploitable thing to have. So many things I could d-… Anyway, there were times when I could tell what was on Ryou's mind, and there were plenty of other times where I was completely oblivious to her… feelings… Was now such an example? Was she merely going along with my plan to appease me? She most likely knew that I harbored feelings for Tomoya as well. I had no way of knowing for certain. Confronting her directly wouldn't be so smart. She would most likely lie to me as a way to avoid hurting my feelings. A twin, and most importantly, a sister would know when she would pull such a stunt. But if this was really a ruse from Ryou's end, if she really was going along with my plan because she honestly believed that it would make me happy… then I'm a terrible older sister, for forcing this burden on her. Even worse… I could've had Tomoya all to myself from the very beginning…

Thinking such a selfish thought made me sick.

The four of us were silently eating our lunch, staring down at our boxed lunches without looking up at each other. It was nerve-racking, to say the least. Youhei must've felt the same way because he was the one to end the quietness of the club room.

"You wanna go see Okazaki after school today? He's over at my apartment right now, if he hasn't already left, that is." I was biting into the pork cutlet when he asked his question, my eyes still focused entirely on my lunch, so I had no idea who he was directing that question towards. I naturally assumed it was a question applied to us three girls. I finished chewing and swallowed before I made my rebuttal.

"Left? What do you mean, Youhei?"

"Well, he said he might leave the apartment for a bit. I assumed he just wanted to get some fresh air and exercise. I can't see Okazaki being cooped in my musty room all day long, could you?"

"Guess you got a point there. Hey Ryou, you wanna see Tomoya, don't you?" I tossed a very mischievous glance towards my younger sister, who immediately turned the other way to avoid looking my way. She's obviously blushing like crazy.

"Sure." It was a soft whisper, but considering how quiet the rest of the club room was, hearing her proved to be rather easy.

"Good." I now turned my attention towards Kotomi. She appeared to be staring off into space. "What about you, Kotomi? You want to come with us?"

Kotomi broke out of her daydreaming and looked at me with saddened eyes.

"I'm sorry, Kyou-chan. I have things I must do around my house. It's still a little messy after that birthday party of mine that we had."

"Messy? I thought we cleaned most of the mess up."

"Um, onee-chan, I think you just answered your own question." Ryou was now looking at me again, a small smile on her face. She still looked slightly embarrassed as her eyes were looking off to the side soon afterwards. A giggle escaped from Kotomi's mouth as my eyes darted back towards her.

"It's okay. I can take care of it all by myself. Could you send my regards to Tomoya-kun for me, Kyou-chan?"

"Yeah, don't worry about it, Kotomi. I'll be sure to let him know." I reassured her with my smile.

"We should probably eat our lunch before it gets too cold, wouldn't you agree?" Youhei was now facing our tiny group as we glanced downwards at our boxed lunches, the conversation that we were having proving to be a minor distraction.

"Yeah, we should." I softly whispered at his question. I didn't even realize that it came out as quietly as it did until I had finished that brief sentence.

…Today was going to be a long day, indeed.

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><p>The automatic sliding doors to the hospital slid open as Kouko Ibuki and I walked through them. We made our way past the lobby, as nurses and doctors were scurrying all over the place like ants. Kouko waved at the receptionist sitting at the counter. She clearly recognized us, or Kouko at the very least, as she waved back at us. We silently made our way to the elevator as Kouko firmly pressed the button for the elevator to come down. She then turned towards me with a soft smile, thanking me for accompanying her to see her younger sister, Fuko.<p>

"I'm sure Fu-chan would love some company every now and then." Kouko really was a beautiful woman to behold, if I may be so frank. It might be because of that short hair of hers. I'm probably saying too much right now. The other girls would kill me if they knew I had a thing for older women. And she's already married to begin with. Anyway…

"It's no trouble at all," I responded back. "In fact, I should be the one to thank you."

"Huh? Why's that?" Kouko had an inquisitive look on her face the moment I finished my sentence. Our attention turned towards the elevator once more as the two doors opened and we took a few steps inside. Kouko hit the button for the fourth floor as the doors slowly closed on us. A sudden shift of gravity caught me off guard as I slightly stumbled in place, but I immediately composed myself with my feet. Turning to my left, I proceeded to answer her question.

"For not judging me, of course. I mean, I was suspended from school for a few days, after all."

"But you protected a friend of yours, correct? As a former teacher, I can't help but feel worried about your academic progress at school, but I know that you didn't do something intentionally reckless for no reason."

"Thank you, Kouko-san."

"You're welcome, Tomoya-san." Her smile never left her face, not even once. I guess it was fate that I wound up here…or by some strange unholy coincidence. I had wandered into the shopping district of town, about to head to the supermarket. I ran into Kouko Ibuki, a former art teacher at Hikarizaka High School, who was apparently shopping for some food. I just tagged along with her, helping her out whenever she needed it. It wasn't any trouble; I was really that bored. We stopped by a nearby bookstore that was pretty huge in and of itself as Kouko picked up a few books before leaving. She asked me if I wanted to tag along with her to go to hospital. She needed to check up on her younger sister Fuko, who was tragically involved in a car accident and was now lying in a coma ever since. As I had nowhere else to go for the day, except back to Sunohara's apartment, I agreed to come along with. And here I was, I suppose…

I stared at the wristwatch on my right hand. It was around 9:20 am. My gaze was interrupted the moment I heard the chime on the elevator, signaling to us both that we had arrived on the fourth floor. As the doors slowly opened once more, we slowly walked down the hallway. I was walking a few paces behind Kouko since I didn't know where Fuko's room was located. As the two of us slowly made our way to wherever Fuko's room happened to be, I looked around at my surroundings. Hospitals always give me an unsettling feeling every time I'm in one. Maybe it's because of those white walls that give such a sterile atmosphere. Everything here is usually very neat and clean, for obvious reasons. But perhaps, it's a bit too neat and clean. There's something unnerving about that to me. People here, whether they be nurses, doctors, or patients are at the mercy of life and death here in a hospital. There's little to separate tears of joy from tears of sadness. Too much of both can occur here. I don't think any other place in the world can be so happy and yet be so sad at the exact same time. Even thinking about it…makes me feel so conflicted.

The two of us turned left down another hallway as we continued walking. Kouko broke the silence that was starting to grow between us. "How is Furukawa-san doing, Tomoya-san?"

"She has a slight fever, so she's been absent from school. Nagisa has always had a poor immune system so she tends to get sick quite often, unfortunately." Admitting that was depressing but necessary.

"Oh, I see." She turned her gaze away momentarily, either out of embarrassment or guilt. I had no way of telling from behind. As soon as she collected her thoughts, Kouko had pointed out that we had arrived at our destination. The older woman gently opened the door as to not disturb anyone nearby. The two of us made our way inside as I noticed a young girl's body lying motionless on a hospital bed, wires of all sorts attached to her. I assumed that she was Fuko.

"Fu-chan, I'm back." She softly whispered to her younger sister. Even though she was smiling, I could hear that hint of lingering sorrow in her quiet voice. She grabbed one of the wooden chairs from the nearby desk and moved it closer to the bed Fuko was sleeping in. With her hands, she motioned me to do the same. I silently nodded my head, as I grabbed another chair and placed it next to Kouko as silently as my arms could. "And I've brought a guest along with me today as well."

"Hi there, Fuko." I did the best I could to smile, but it felt a little awkward. I didn't know if my words would ever be able to reach her. But for Kouko's sake, I made the attempt to do so anyway. It was the effort that counts, right?

"Fu-chan was involved in a car accident the morning of her entrance ceremony, as I've told you already. She's been in a coma ever since."

I stared at Fuko's sleeping form. The only sign of life was the very subtle rising and falling of her chest. There was this thin tube that came out of both her nostrils and was hooked onto a machine. A ventilator, perhaps? I wouldn't know for certain. There were other tubes and machines surrounding her, most likely monitoring her vital signs and keeping her alive.

"People with traumatic brain injury usually remain in what is known as called true coma for about two weeks to a month, where they have no sleep/wake cycle. After that, the patient changes into a vigil coma, commonly known as a vegetative state, where they show sleep and wake cycles, including opening and closing their eyes. From the look of things, Fu-chan is still sleeping."

Seeing someone lying so helpless…it was really unsettling. I couldn't really describe this feeling of apprehension that was now inside of me. _I_ felt helpless, just sitting here. I could only imagine what_ Kouko _has been feeling after all this time. I've never known anyone who has been in a coma. In fact, this is the first time that I'm actually in the same room as a coma patient. I just wasn't used to it. Kouko must've sensed my uneasiness from my face, so she decided to continue speaking.

"You remember when you and Nagisa-san stopped by my house that one day to congratulate me on getting married to Yusuke, don't you?" Ah, that was quite a while back, but I definitely remember.

"Yes, I do. How come?"

"I mentioned that I talk with Fu-chan about everything that goes on in my life. The doctors actually recommend doing it, too."

"Really?"

"Yes. The doctors have told me that some level of consciousness is still present as long as the coma patient is breathing. A person is always to assume that the person in coma can hear everything we say. If there's something personal that you want to discuss with me and you don't Fu-chan to hear, then I recommend we step out of the room for the moment, okay?"

I silently nodded my head. "Yes, I understand." My head slowly turned towards Fuko, lying there peacefully, her breathing a slow but rhythmic pace. "But maybe it's better if we just talk in front of Fuko. You did mentioned to me that your younger sister didn't have a lot of friends. You also asked me to be her friend if she ever wakes up, right? Maybe…maybe it would be better for Fuko to her some of my personal thoughts. She may be less afraid to talk with me if she knew some things about me beforehand, wouldn't you agree?"

My gaze shifted back to Kouko's face, trying to gage what sort of reaction my suggestion would yield. I didn't have to wait too long, as her smile told me everything I needed to know. "If you really don't mind, then I think that's a wonderful idea. I'm glad that Fu-chan will have at least one friend when she wakes up." She momentarily paused, as if mustering the will to continue on. I had the feeling that deep down, she was fighting back the urge to cry in front of me.

"Even…even if it takes a week, or a month, or a year…or an entire decade…I know that my dear Fu-chan will wake up…someday."

"Sister's intuition?"

Kouko quietly chuckled at my suggestion, smiling so warmly. I felt that her worries had melted away, if only for a brief moment. "That just may be it, Tomoya-san."

I stayed at that hospital the rest of that Saturday morning and into the early afternoon. Time didn't felt like it flew by so fast, but it did, somehow. Kouko and I talked about the most mundane and ordinary of things. Talked about how a married life was like. She talked about her husband, Yusuke Yoshino, of how he is currently working as an electrician for an electric company, managing the power lines that run throughout this entire town. The two of us ate breakfast and lunch together as well. The hospital food wasn't so bad. Of course, I never stayed in a hospital long enough to have to eat the food there, so truth be told, this is the first time that I've tried it. I didn't find it distasteful at all, so I figured it sufficed. Kouko went on to explain to me that she would read Fuko novels as one way to pass the time and to keep her company. Apparently, the doctors here told her that people in coma fear isolation, so talking with them, or using any form of communication to make contact can be a godsend.

Kouko would also hold onto her tiny hand while she read as a way to emotionally "connect" with Fuko. I didn't really understand what Kouko meant by that and I'm sure she noticed the puzzled look on my face as well because she suggested that I tried holding Fuko's hand.

"Touch is almost always beneficial to the coma patient. It's comforting and breaks the sense of isolation that they might feel. Remember to tell Fu-chan everything you're going to do. Every small bit of action needs to be announced to her _before_ you actually do it, okay? For instance, if I wanted to hold onto Fu-chan's right forearm, I would announce out loud 'Now, I'm going to touch your right forearm. Here I come.'" Kouko proceeded to demonstrate her example as her left hand gently caressed Fuko's right forearm. "'There.' And then, pay attention to any feedback that she may give back to you. If you try to communicate with her three times and notice nothing at all, then try changing to something else or take a break instead."

"This…is a lot more difficult than I thought it would be. I'm surprised that you've adapted this well."

Kouko chuckled at my observation. "It's still a learning process for me, Tomoya-san. I'm still trying to get used to it as well. Do you want to give it a try?"

I gave her another puzzled look, but I gently smiled at her request as I slowly reached for Fuko's right hand with mine. Her hand was resting silently on her lap. "Hey Fuko, I'm…gonna grab your right hand, okay?" I turned to Kouko, to see if I was doing this correctly. She simply nodded and smiled at me. Guess I was doing all right.

I gently lifted her small hand with my mine, the tips of my fingers caressing her palm, and slowly dragged her hand and arm towards me. Her hand felt cold to my touch as it laid upon my left knee. Or maybe, it was my hand that was cold and hers warm. "I hope you don't mind, Fuko."

Kouko reached for a pale white tote bag that was sitting on top of the wooden desk near us. She was digging inside, looking for a specific novel to pull out. This was the first time that I've been here with Kouko and Fuko so I had no clue what kind of book Kouko had been reading to her younger sister. Guess I was about to find out. It was a hardcover book of sorts with a navy blue cover.

"I've been reading a different book to Fu-chan, but since you're here, I figured that I should read something else today. I didn't want you to feel lost if you were to join us in the middle of another story. I hope you understand, Tomoya-san."

"It's okay. I don't mind."

Kouko silently nodded as she flipped through the pages of her book. "This book is a collection of short stories. I'm trying to find a story that I haven't read to Fu-chan yet."

"Ah, I see."

She continued to flip through the pages of her book as my hand still firmly grasped Fuko's right hand. I continued to stare down at that hand, wondering if she'll ever wake up from her coma. And then, I felt something strange…something within my heart. Something familiar, like I've done this before…once upon a time. It was…a wave of nostalgia that was slowly beginning to wash over me. But this is the first time that I've met Fuko…isn't it? How is that even possible?

When I finally heard the pages of the book remaining still for more than a few seconds, I knew that Kouko had finally settled on a story to read to Fuko. I turned my head up from my lap towards Kouko's direction. "Here's one. Are you familiar with the story _The Dandelion Girl _by Robert F. Young?"

"Yes, I am." I smiled at her. "A friend of mine read me this story a long time ago."

Kouko laughed the moment I mentioned my comment. "Nagisa-san?"

The moment I heard Nagisa's name being brought up again, my face couldn't help but blush furiously. Trying not to think about her only made my face even hotter. It was a futile effort.

"I'm so sorry, Tomoya-san." She was still laughing, her eyes still closed from the amusement of it all. I wonder if her apology was meant to be taken seriously. Probably not.

"It's okay." I couldn't help but smile awkwardly to offset the embarrassment that I was now feeling. She's never going to stop teasing me about me and Nagisa, will she?

"I really do think you two would make a great couple." My left hand reached for my face, the palm covering my left cheek as my left eye peered through the space of my fingers, vainly trying to conceal the ever-growing blush on my face. Dear God, when was she going to stop? I felt tormented by her innocent words, a bemused smile wrinkling from my lips as I couldn't help but feel the situation I was in to be amusing in that absurdly ironic way. I guess the universe is getting back at me for messing with Sunohara earlier, eh?

"Speaking of which, are you planning on checking up on Nagisa-san later? I know that she's sick and all, but I believe that seeing one of her friends would brighten up her day a lot." Kouko beamingly smiled at me. I couldn't help but return the favor.

"I'll think about it. I've stayed away from her house to let her recover…but if you think checking up on her might cheer her up, then I'll consider it."

"I know it will. I have no doubts about that, Tomoya-san." She sure sounds pretty confident about that.

And with that, Kouko began reading the short story…that Kotomi Ichinose read to me a long time ago.

"Today, I will be reading a new story. It's called _The Dandelion Girl_ by Robert F. Young. I hope you two will love it." She took a deep breath before she continued. "The girl on the hill made Mark think of Edna St. Vincent Millay. Perhaps it was because of the way she was standing there in the afternoon sun, her dandelion-hued hair dancing in the wind; perhaps it was because of the way her old-fashioned white dress was swirling around her long and slender legs. In any event, he got the definite impression that she had somehow stepped out of the past and into the present; and that was odd, because as things turned out, it wasn't the past she had stepped out of, but the future."

My mind started to get a little dizzy as if it were about to fall into an afternoon daydream. Without realizing it myself, I found myself thinking back to a far-off memory of distant days. Days when life felt so much simpler and a lot less complicated. Days that I sometimes dream that I could relive once more, to escape all of the troubles of this reality that I now lived in…

_"He paused some distance behind her, breathing hard from the climb. She had not seen him yet, and he wondered how he could apprise her of his presence without alarming her. While he was trying to make up his mind, he took out his pipe and filled and lighted it, cupping his hands over the bowl and puffing till the tobacco came to glowing life. When he looked at her again, she had turned around and was regarding him curiously."_

_"Ugh, that's disgusting, Kotomi-chan!" I had interrupted Kotomi just merely two paragraphs into the short story that she was reading to me. "Smoking is bad for you. Why do people even do it, anyway?" _

_"I've never really understood it, either, Tomoya-kun." The two of us were lying on the floor of Kotomi's house, our stomachs pressed against the cool wooden surface. _

_"But you're supposed to be the smart one, Kotomi-chan!" I was laughing at the fact that for once, the smartest girl that I ever knew didn't know why people smoked tobacco. "Heck, your own father smokes a pipe, doesn't he?" _

_"He's getting better at it. He usually waits until he's outside before he does it now."_

_"You should convince him to quit, period. He'll live longer, along with you and your mom." I was merely teasing her, but I was being serious at the same time as well. Those things will kill you, seriously. _

_"Are you a bully?" Kotomi was looking downfallen from my teasing joke. But she was a very sensitive girl. She always has been. I remember that I had to be delicate around her at all times, but I still found a way to occasionally sneak a joke in, trying to teach her the art of sarcasm and guile. I think she's slowly picking up on it, I hope. _

_"No, I'm not, Kotomi-chan. Please believe me." My head was now hanging low, a vain attempt at saying that I was sorry._

_"It's okay. I believe you." I heard a small giggle escape from Kotomi's mouth. I think she's learning about my playful side. I turned my head and my gaze towards Kotomi's face and gave her the biggest smile that I could muster. _

_"Looks like the student is finally teaching the master something new for a change." _

_"That's not supposed to happen. I'm supposed to be teaching you, not the other way around."_

_The two of us then broke out into laughter after realizing just how silly we were being over something so little. _

_"I still remember the first thing you told my father the moment you saw him."_

_I heartily laughed at her statement, remembering how pretentious it sounded in hindsight. Kotomi jokingly cleared her throat, as if she were about to prepare to give a speech of sorts. _

_"Second-hand smoke kills, you know? It's far worse than the fumes you inhale directly. They contain a large amount of harmful substances. Inhaled directly, smoke contains 5.3 to 43 nanograms of carcinogenic nitrosamines, compared to the 680 to 823 nanograms when inhaled second-hand. The second-hand smoker also inhales eleven times the volume of smoke itself, 18,000 nanograms in all. So, the risk to the surrounding population is far greater than to the smoker himself. You can make the choice to blacken your lungs, but don't expect to force that on me. After all, we're not even friends." **[1]** After hearing Kotomi repeat my own words, it was kinda rude to say that to her father, especially since those were the first words I said to him. Normally, a person would introduce themselves by stating their name and whatnot, along with some other info about themselves. Me on the other hand, well, logic and etiquette goes out the window when I'm pissed. I seriously hate cigarettes with every fiber in my being. _

_I face-palmed myself, as I couldn't suppress the laughter that was building inside of me. "I still remember how your parents reacted to that. Your mom was laughing at me, while your dad stared in disbelief. They both honestly thought that you told me that."_

_"Was it because of the vocabulary?" Kotomi was smiling at me. She remembered it clearly as well. _

_"Of course! It sounded like something _you_ would say, not the other way around."_

_"I still remember what my dad said back to you, after your little rant."_

_A blush appeared on my face as I knew what she was about to repeat to me._

_Kotomi turned her gaze away from me and towards the book in front of us out of slight embarrassment. "Well son, I might not be _your_ friend, but you _will_ be Kotomi's friend, won't you?"Kotomi then slowly turned her head back towards me again, a slight red blush on her face mirroring mine. _

_"You'll always be my friend, won't you…Tomoya-kun?" There was a small hint of sadness in her whispery voice. I wanted to console her, to let her know that I would never leave her. I took the pinky finger of my right hand and extended it out to her. _

_"Always…Kotomi-chan. Always." Kotomi knew what my hand gesture meant, as she reciprocated the motion and grasped my pinky finger with hers, as the two of us shook hands. The two of us, lying on the hard but cool wooden floor, we couldn't help but smile serenely at one another. If only…_

_"So, shall we continue?"_

_"Yeah, sorry about that, Kotomi-chan. I can't believe I distracted you for this long."_

_Kotomi shook her head, reassuring me that it was no trouble at all. She pushed the book lightly towards me, indicating to me that she wanted me to read now. I remember when she asked me to read with her the first time I was over at her house. I was dumbstruck; I always figured that books were a solitary experience, meant to be enjoyed by oneself and with no one else. But Kotomi insisted that we should read together. I wasn't against the idea; I just wasn't used to it, that's all. After coming over to her house a few times, reading together wasn't all that bad. In fact, I was beginning to like it. Or maybe it was because I was starting to become attached to Kotomi herself…_

_Kotomi pointed to the spot on the page where she left off, as I continued reading from there on. "He walked toward her slowly, keenly aware of the nearness of the sky, enjoying the feel of the wind against his face. He should go hiking more often, he told himself. He had been tramping through woods when he came to the hill, and now the woods lay behind and far below him, burning gently with the first pale fires of fall, and beyond the woods lay the little lake with its complement of cabin and fishing pier. When his wife had been unexpectedly summoned for jury duty, he had been forced to spend alone the two weeks he had saved out of his summer vacation and he had been leading a lonely existence, fishing off the pier by day and reading the cool evenings away before the big fireplace in the raftered living room; and after two days the routine had caught up to him, and he had taken off into the woods without purpose or direction and finally he had come to the hill and had climbed it and seen the girl."_

…If only I had kept that promise… from the very beginning.

My eyes were beginning to tear up a little, saddened by the fact that I'll never be able to go back to those simple days again… and for the fact that I eventually broke that promise I made. Kouko probably noticed it too since she decided to speak up about it.

"Are you okay, Tomoya-san?"

"Uh, yeah, I'm fine, Kouko-san. Don't worry about it." I reassured her with a smile. Kouko still had a look of uncertainty on her face. I dried my eyes up with my right index finger as my gaze went from her face to the floor for a moment.

"I was thinking back… to my childhood, that's all. Don't you wish you could go back sometimes?"

"Yes, I'll admit, there are times when I yearn for my childhood days as well, Tomoya-san."

"I'm sorry for making you stop the story."

"Don't worry about it. Will you be okay?"

"Uh-huh." I calmly nodded my head to reassure her.

Kouko proceeded to continue reading the story, resuming back from where she had stopped earlier. As her words continue to fill the relatively empty room with life, my right hand was still holding onto Fuko's, wondering if the two of us were able to reach her from within her sleep. As I closed my eyes to in order to focus on Kouko's reading more intuitively, I saw something within the darkness of my mind. Thoughts or visions…or memories…of a small but familiar girl. A girl with greenish-brown hair with a blue ribbon that was clumsily tied to the end of her long hair. I remember me…and her…and Nagisa as well…the three of us were holding hands together as we gazed up into the blue sky, standing somewhere near the school courtyard. I remember the little girl quietly whispered to us small words of gratitude. And the rest…was a blank. I don't know or remember what it was that I just imagined, but there was one thing that I was certain about at that point.

That girl… could only be Fuko Ibuki.

My eyes snapped back open immediately after coming to this realization. The girl that I saw was definitely Fuko. The same Fuko Ibuki who was now lying in bed right in front me, completely comatose, absolutely lifeless. The same Fuko Ibuki whose right hand I was now tenderly grasping with my own. But she's been here at the hospital this entire time, right? There's no way that any of us have met Fuko before. But...I feel…that the past few weeks, there's been something missing within my own memories. Gaps…that are there, that exist for reasons unknown. Was Fuko the reason why I felt that way? At the moment, there's no way for me to ask her, given that she's currently in a comatose state. I wonder if there's a connection between the state that she's in right now and the gaps within my own memories. There's a possibility but I can't do anything about it right now.

It was around two o'clock and I told Kouko that I should be leaving now. I asked her if I could come back some other time and continue to talk with her. She smiled as she said that I could come over anytime that she was visiting the hospital. I bowed graciously for agreeing to my suggestion. I hurriedly left the hospital, sprinting the moment I was out of the building and nobody else was nearby. I ran straight towards one of the bus stops and sat there by myself, waiting for the bus to eventually arrive. Luckily, the stop wasn't one too far away that would take me to the other side of the city. I had forgotten just how long it took just to get over here on foot. Fortunately, the time it will take to get back to Sunohara's apartment will merely be a fraction of that time. I sat there, contemplating about the hospital visit, about how the others are doing at school right now, about Nagisa and her health, and about the unknown future that stretched out before me. Before I had realized it, a bus was coming to a slow grinding halt.

…The doors slowly drew open as I made my way inside.

* * *

><p><span>Author's Note #6<span>: The events of the club room scene did happen in the anime (3:53 - 4:14 of episode 18). The events at the hospital are my own creation, meant to show what Tomoya was doing while everyone else was at school.

_Well, that's the end of chapter 2. If you actually made it to the end of the chapter, then I salute you for being able to put up with my story. If it's not asking too much, any kind of feedback, be it pointing out spelling/grammar mistakes, suggestions, or just your thoughts and feelings on this chapter, anything would be great. All I ask is that you remain civil and keep things constructive. That's all. ^_^'_

_Just like last time, if I get some positive feedback, I'll continue on with this story. :) __If I don't, then I obviously failed as a writer and as a **Clannad** fan and that'll be the end of that. XD __If you're curious as to when I'll have the next chapter up, I can't give you any specific dates, but I can tell you to check my profile every single day to see how much progress I've made on the next chapter. You'll find a percentage number there indicating how much of the next chapter I have completed. The next chapter will go up the moment that number hits 100%. _

_And don't worry, I'm never going to drop this story, so long as there is continued interest from readers for my fanfic. For personal reasons, I want to see this story through to the very end, even if it takes a long time to get there. The only way that I'm gonna stop writing this story is if real life prevents me from doing so. So far, it hasn't, yet. XD And here's hoping it stays that way for a very long time...  
><em>

_Footnotes: (Added 05.04.2012)  
><em>

**[1]** - A reference to episode 5 of the Studio BONES anime series _**Darker Than Black**_. I more or less combined the dialogue in the original Japanese version and the English dub and got that. _  
><em>


	3. Chapter 3

_4/6/2012__ (Last edited on 06/18/2014 - Minor edits) - Hello, people of FanFiction dot net. I'm back again with the next chapter of my very first fanfic that I have ever written in my entire life. I'm thankful that I've gotten reviews for my story. There are now 7 reviews as of this chapter! ^_^ As the author of this story, I'm happy to see reviews being left behind. It motivates me to continue on with this story of mine. ^_^ I do apologize in advance if my writing is terrible or if my descriptions of things are terrible or if the character's personalities are a little off. Even though some of the character's personalities might/will be slightly altered for the sake of my fanfic, I'll try to remain faithful to their overall "spirit" that was portrayed in the anime series. _**Clannad**_ is my favorite anime series of all time, so I felt compelled to write a story of my own. I hope you enjoy it. And once again, any feedback that you can provide would be nice and very appreciated. ^_^ And with that, here is chapter 3: _

_Paragraphs in italics denote a flashback. Single words in italics / single words in regular print during a flashback denote emphasis and should be read as such.  
><span>Chapter rated T for<span>: Brief mild language and suggestive themes.  
><span>Genre<span>: Comedy/Drama/Romance/Slice of Life  
><span>Pairing(s)<span>: None at the moment (Tomoya x Tomoyo/Kyou/Nagisa/Fuko/Kotomi has been teased, though...)_

Author's Note #1: The beginning of this chapter starts 4:14 minutes into episode 18 of the first season.

Author's Note #2: 'still debating as to whether or not I want Tomoya to end up with someone by the end of this long story. 'might take into consideration feedback from whoever might read this story of mine. It's no guarantee, but it's still fun to see what readers want to see. I've now included a poll on my profile page. You can go vote for your choice there. ;) Hmm, since two people have brought it up, I wonder if I should ship Sunohara with anyone by the end of this story...

Author's Note #3: Perspective will be shifting back and forth a little in this chapter. (You'll eventually know who's narrating once you keep reading on.)

Author's Note #4: It didn't start off at first, but eventually, this chapter ended up being _longer_ than the previous one, and chapter 2 was already longer than chapter 1! Hope you don't mind the length...

* * *

><p><strong><span>Clannad ~Different Days~<span>**

-The Everyday Arc-

_Vague Synopsis - It's not quite the same story that you might remember, even if it feels strangely familiar. A different world, different relationships, different events...different days..._

**Chapter 3 – A Half-Remembered Dream, Part 3**

I stared silently out the window as the engines of the bus quietly roared in the background of my ears. People flashed by before my very eyes as the bus continued on its way towards its destination. There was the occasional chatter and whisper going on inside the relatively quiet bus, but I didn't pay much heed to any of them. My worried mind was a little preoccupied with... other things. I couldn't help but think about a certain blue haired boy who has been on my mind constantly for quite some time now.

"Tomoya-kun…" I whispered his name so softly, making sure that no one could accidentally overhear me muttering it. Usually, when I was around everyone else, I always referred to Tomoya as "Okazaki-kun". Despite knowing him for well over a year now, I still couldn't bring myself to call him by his first name. There was a distance that separated the two of us, and it was reflected in my unwillingness to even approach him in any meaningful way. There were still a lot of things about Tomoya that I didn't really know about. It was moments like these that I found myself filled with regret. The few times that I have managed to talk with Tomoya, my older sister was usually the one contributing the most to the conversation. Being the quiet self that I was, I tended to fade into the background. Onee-chan would occasionally throw odd glances my way as a way of encouraging me to talk to him. But being around Tomoya-kun made me so nervous, I couldn't find the time to form the words that I wanted to say to him. I constantly worried that I might screw things up and embarrass myself in front of him. Though there were still many things about Tomoya-kun that remains a mystery to me, I knew for a fact, without any doubt within my heart, that he was a genuinely kind person. Onee-chan would say that he is kind as well, perhaps far too kind, maybe to a fault even. But that was precisely the reason that I was drawn towards him in the first place. Despite the fact that he had a reputation of being a delinquent, his personality said otherwise. Sure, he may be lazy and he may joke around a lot with Sunohara-kun, but Tomoya-kun always seems to go out of his own way to help a friend in need.

I noticed that the bus was slowly coming to a grinding halt. Realizing that this was my stop, I slowly got up from my seat and proceeded to walk out of the bus. Sunohara-kun's apartment was just a short walk away from the bus stop. I silently made my way there, my eyes remaining fixed towards the ground, occasionally glancing upward to make sure that I wouldn't bump into anyone or anything. When I noticed onee-chan waiting out in front of the apartment building, she was waving her right hand at me from afar, a large grin apparent on her face even from this distance. I quickened my pace, almost to a light jog.

"Well, shall we head inside, Ryou?"

I nodded my head in silence, as the two of us entered the building. We didn't know where Sunohara-kun's room was located, but fortunately, we ran into someone who looked like she was in charge of the place. Kyou took the initiative and decided to ask her for directions.

"Um, excuse me, ma'am, do you happen to know where Youhei Sunohara's room is located?"

"Ah, you must be here to see Okazaki, aren't you?"

"Wait, you know that we're here to see him?" I was taken aback at how this woman knew that Tomoya-kun was expecting company as well, as well as my older sister.

"Yeah, Sunohara left me a message before he left for school earlier today. Said something about how his friend would be crashing in his room for today. I think he's back from wherever he went off to."

"Did he say where he went?"

"He said he was going to just wander around the town for a bit. I guess you'll have to ask him when you see him then. I'll escort you to Sunohara's room myself if you want me to."

"That would be great, thank you."

"It's no trouble at all. Oh, I haven't introduced myself to you two. I'm Misae Sagara, the dorm mother in charge of the boy's and girl's dorm." She gave a small bow as she made her brief introduction to us.

"I'm Kyou Fujibayashi, a friend of Youhei and Tomoya."

"And I'm Ryou Fujibayashi, her twin sister. I'm also friends with Sunohara-kun and Okazaki-kun." I mirrored her actions as I bowed, lowering the upper half of my body and closing my eyes for a few seconds before reopening them, a small smile adorning my face.

The three of us slowly made our way to Sunohara-kun's room where Tomoya-kun was waiting for us. She told us that his room was on the second floor and we would be going up the stairs to get there. While we were walking, I began to notice how eerily quiet the entire building was. The only noise that could be heard was the patter of our own footsteps coming from below our shoes, quietly echoing down the hallways. I focused on the woman whom we exchanged introductions with a short while ago as the three of us silently walked, my eyes focusing on her back. She was a beautiful woman who only appeared to be several years older than us. Long raven blue hair tied into a bun on the back of her head. A long sleeve white shirt with the sleeves slightly rolled up her arms and long blue jeans were both covered by a faded yellow apron that covered her chest, abdomen, and thighs. And I can't forget about her piercing yellow eyes.

Wanting to strike up some conversation to end the strange silence, I worked up the nerve to ask a question. Of course, it took me several moments before I could think of a decent question. After several moments of pondering, I eventually settled on asking the obvious.

"Um, is it… usually this quiet around here, Sagara-san?"

Onee-chan must've been surprised to hear me ask a question, for she immediately turned her head around to look at me properly.

"Wow, where did that question come from, Ryou?"

"I was just curious, that's all."

"Oh, you don't have to call me Sagara-san. It makes me feel old. Please, call me Misae." Onee-chan and I simply nodded our heads, embarrassed smiles on our faces acting as a form of an apology to her. Judging from the look on Misae-san's face, she wasn't offended in the slightest as she proceeded to answer my question. "As for your earlier question, no, it's usually much louder around here, the guy's dorm more so than the girl's anyway. The guys on the rugby team usually give me a lot of trouble, but I manage things here just fine. Sunohara can also be a nuisance at times as well."

"Don't be. Despite all of the hassle those boys constantly give me, I believe they all look up to me… in their own way…or at least, that's what Okazaki told me. But the more I think about it, the more it makes sense to me."

"What did he say exactly?" Natural curiosity got the better of me as I asked that question out of hesitation. Turning to look at onee-chan, I noticed that she was grinning widely at me. She must've found it amusing that I was starting to speak up simply because of Tomoya-kun being the topic of our conversation now. I couldn't help but begin blushing out of embarrassment, my eyes facing the wooden floor now.

"Hmm, what were his exact words again?" Misae-san stood there pondering for several moments in absolute quietness, right index finger and thumb cupping her chin as she closed her eyes, thinking of the words of encouragement that Tomoya-kun gave her. Once again, whether he realized it or not, Tomoya-kun ended up helping someone out simply by giving out advice. Sometimes, I wonder if he actually knows that he has a huge influence on the people around him. But then again, I get the feeling that there may be other things on his mind that worry him to no end, and helping people is one way of him dealing with his own personal problems.

"I might not recall his exact words, but I remember the gist of it. Okazaki and I had a brief conversation before he left the apartment building. I made an off-handed remark, wondering how people could still come to like a person like me, despite the fact that I tend to scold people all the time. Care to wager a guess as to how he responded to that?"

"I couldn't even _begin_ to imagine." There was a hint of sarcasm in her voice as she softly chortled at her own statement. I guess she was expecting some crazy remark, but knowing him, I knew that he was more than capable of articulating meaning things to other people.

"Well, Okazaki said that it wasn't like that at all. Despite the fact that I scold them, I only do it because I care about them. He mentioned that the rugby guys are always talking about how nice I smell, like body wash." Misae-san was now laughing as it appeared that she had come to realize something. "I now remember his exact words...he said "I know that sounds like kind of a weird compliment, but the thing is, in a dorm full of filthy guys, you're like a princess, like a diamond in a dunghill, I guess."

Onee-chan and I couldn't help but stifle our incoming urge to laugh out loud at Tomoya-kun's words. I never said that he was the most eloquent articulator, but the meaning behind his words usually gets through, even if they come from a bizarre choice of words sometimes.

"Diamond in a dunghill...Oh, Tomoya-kun..." My sister was still in disbelief as the three of us resumed walking, making our way up the winding stairs. We turned right when we reached the top of the stairs onto the second floor. Continuing straight on ahead for several more paces, the three of us stopped in front of a door on the left.

"Well, this is Sunohara's room. Okazaki should be inside, but there's only one way for you to find out for sure. He's really lucky to have two cute girls worrying over him." Misae-san gave us a teasing wink as I felt the sudden rise of heat flowing onto my entire face. Onee-chan was chuckling embarrassingly at her comment.

"Uh, thanks, Misae."

"Well, I have errands that I have to attend to around here. If you need me, I'll be on the first floor." Onee-chan and I thanked the older woman as she wistfully made her way back downstairs once more. Now, it was just the two of us, standing right in front of Sunohara-kun's room. She was just staring at the door, lost in thought. I couldn't help but wonder: was my older sister nervous, afraid? Those were the last words anyone would ever use to describe Kyou Fujibayashi, but there is no denying that she becomes a different person whenever Tomoya-kun is around. My sapphire eyes couldn't help but gaze on in worry as I perceived a hint of regret within her amethyst orbs. This entire mess with Tomoya-kun might just put our entire group of friends into chaos at the right things were going. And we have the school play to worry about as well. If we don't figure out a way to peacefully resolve this conflict, Nagisa-chan's play might be doomed to failure.

"Onee-chan, what are you thinking about right now?" I whispered aloud to my older sister. I had a pretty good feeling that my prediction was right, that Tomoya-kun was the center of her thoughts at the moment, but it couldn't hurt to get a confirmation from her.

"You have a pretty good idea, don't you?" I believe that I was right after all.

"Okazaki-kun?" I asked her with a soft innocence in my voice.

"Don't you want to go see him?" Of course I did... and yet...

"Yes...but is this really all right? I mean, how will he react to us being here?"

"Tomoya is Tomoya. I'm sure he'll be glad to see us."

"If you insist, onee-chan."

* * *

><p>My eyes slowly opened to the scenery around me. From the legs of the brown coffee table... to everything else in his room, I suddenly remembered that I was back in Sunohara's place once more. I must've fallen asleep without realizing it. I repositioned myself so that I was now sitting upright. Without realizing it, my mind subconsciously thought back to a certain auburn-haired girl...<p>

"It's already been three days. Why is she the only thing I can think about?" Nagisa... ever since she had fallen ill with a fever, my mind had been constantly worrying over her fragile health. My concerns over her were momentarily distracted the moment my ears heard two faint knocks on the wooden door. I wonder who it could've possibly been? Tomoyo, maybe? She has stopped by Sunohara's room before, dragging him from out of his sleep in order for him to get to school on time. But then I remembered, wouldn't she be busy with prepping for the student council elections? Getting up from my position on the floor, I lazily made my way towards the door, turning the door knob slowly as my eyes met sapphire and amethyst.

"Hi there! Have you been lonely without us?"

"I heard about what happened. It's a real shame."

To my surprise, it was the Fujibayashi twins who showed up at the door. Kyou Fujibayashi was the older twin and the more assertive one, as her lavender eyes bore into me with piercing gleefulness. Ryou Fujibayashi was the younger twin but was shyer and reserved, having calm and gentle cerulean eyes.

I met Kyou a year ago during my second year of high school. **[1]** It was the first day of the new semester and Sunohara and I had gotten us into some trouble. As punishment, we had to stay after school and help hammer and nail signboards up which were to be used for the entrance ceremony for the first-year students. Kyou was the class representative for that year and was watching over us, making sure that we were actually fulfilling our obligations.

Fujibayashi… I met her a few weeks after I had first met Kyou through an amusing incident of misunderstanding… but I'll save that story for another day… **[2]**

Anyway, they were certainly the last two people that I would expect to appear at Sunohara's dorm room. "I wasn't expecting you guys."

"What does that mean? Who _were_ you expecting?"

"Oh, no one, really." I didn't like the condescending tone that Kyou was giving off with that derisive question of hers. My eyes shifted its focus from right to left, from the older sibling to the younger one. I couldn't help but noticed the depressed look on Fujibayashi's face the moment Kyou made that offhanded comment. From the look on her face, she didn't like it either. I felt a little guilty, that I might have accidentally said something to bring upon this heavy air that permeated between the three of us right now. The twins were both smiling at me just several seconds ago when they greeted me, too. I didn't mean to upset them, though I could've chosen my words a little better to make me seem less... indifferent? Uncaring? Was that the right word to use here? I didn't care whose fault it was. I knew I had to change the topic quickly to turn things around.

"Quick question: how did you two find me here?" A sudden pause hung over my question as I came to the obvious conclusion instantly. "Wait, let me guess... Sunohara, right? It _is_ his room after all." My mind had the occasional bout of being absent-minded at the worst of times. Now was such a moment.

"Well, actually, we were kind of in a hurry to get here... and _totally_ neglected to ask Youhei where his room was located." Kyou was laughing very awkwardly. Were those two _that_ desperate to get over here quickly? Something didn't feel right... And if they didn't figure out where I was from Sunohara, was it Misae-san who escorted them to this door? I quickly glanced both to the left and right of the twins, but saw no signs of her presence anyway, just empty, quiet hallways. She probably left the two here while she attended to her duties as the dorm mother of this building.

"But wait, are you implying that you didn't see him elsewhere throughout the day?"

"Well, all of us, well, besides you and Nagisa, met in the club room, as usual... but let's just say... things aren't the same with the two of you gone."

"Yes, we barely managed to strike up any conversation that's full of the usual energy. It was... pretty morose, to say the least." The younger sister chimed in with her own comment on the matter. Seems things were pretty out of whack with Nagisa and I absent from school.

"We were lucky that we ran into the dorm mother of this building, Misae."

"Mhmm, she was the one who lead us to your room." Well, that answered _that_ question from earlier.

I noticed that Kyou was beginning to make a sour face at me with her left eyebrow raised...with a grin slowly coming onto her face? "Diamond... in a dunghill?" It took me several seconds before her words registered in my mind, and when it did, I gave her a cross look, my cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

"...Your point?"

"Nothing. Just making an observation, that's all." There was a haughty tone in her voice that I wanted to call out, but I chose not to say anything. Knowing how violent Kyou can get at times, I thought it was a wise decision on my end to keep quiet. She kept staring at me, hoping that I would make a witty comeback or something, but none ever came. A soft sigh escaped from her mouth.

...I wonder where this was going.

* * *

><p>The three of us now found ourselves walking down the streets of the shopping district. It was almost 2:50 pm. There weren't a whole lot of people around, so the streets weren't too terribly crowded.<p>

"You're under suspension. Can you really go out like this? Aren't you supposed to be staying at home?" Since onee-chan was the one who asked Tomoya-kun to tag along with us, I thought she would have _some_ idea as to where we were going. I guess she didn't after all.

"You say that, and yet you were the one who invited me in the first place." I was glad that I wasn't the only one who shared the same thought.

"By the way onee-chan, where are we going?"

"That's a... good question."

We found ourselves at the arcade center now. The first thing onee-chan did was sprint towards the claw machine. This wasn't the first time that we saw the thing. The three of us were here several days ago, with Nagisa-chan and Kotomi-chan tagging along with us as well. Onee-chan was desperately trying to get this huge, lavender anteater plush toy. Considering how big it was, even I had doubts that she would be able to pull it off. She ended up losing a lot of money and nothing to show for it, too. Onee-chan asked me, Tomoya-kun, Kotomi-chan, and Nagisa-chan if we wanted to try for ourselves. The four of us declined, knowing that we would run into the same unfortunate luck that she did. A mysterious young girl appeared from out of thin air, claiming that she could get it for us. We gave her an opportunity at the claw machine, but she ended up getting a star plush instead, and quietly running away afterwards. All five of us were perplexed at what we just happened to witness. And yet, despite the confusion that I felt, there was this... unusual feeling of nostalgia when I stared at the girl with the blue ribbon. I couldn't really explain why I felt that way. It... was strange...

"You know, Kyou, at the rate you're going at, I think it would be much cheaper to just _buy_ the plush from somewhere else." Tomoya-kun certainly found the sight of my exasperated sister failing miserably to be amusing. I couldn't help but gently laugh at his quip. He was grinning smugly and onee-chan certainly took notice of him.

"Cut the crap, Tomoya, I know that already. It's past that point a long time ago. This is a matter of _pride_, now. I'm not going to lose to some dumb machine. I swear, this thing has to be rigged."

"You're not gonna get the manager like last time, _are_ you?"

"I think I'll avoid dragging him into this mess this time. I wouldn't want to risk getting the three of us banned from this place."

Tomoya-kun and onee-chan have always been able to talk so freely, without restraint, without having to worry about what to say next. I wished... that I could talk with Tomoya-kun like that... A part of me was envious of my older sister, and yet, I couldn't help but faintly smile at the two of them as they continued on with their playful bickering.

We wasted a lot of time at the claw crane machine. How much time? I wasn't paying too much attention to what the time was. After onee-chan finally yielded to defeat, the three of us headed to a fortune telling machine that was located nearby. There was a wooden stool and a blue cloth with the words "Horoscope" draping over the screen of the fortune telling machine. The stool looked big enough to seat two people. Tomoya-kun sat down, occupying the left half of the seat. Before I had the chance to react... or object, onee-chan placed both of her hands on my shoulders, motioning me to sit down next to him. Onee-chan volunteered to be the odd one out, opting to stand instead.

"Wow, this thing's pretty cool."

"Well, if nothing else, Ryou can get her fortune-telling fix." Tomoya-kun's right hand was scrolling this ball on the machine, which acted like a mouse for a computer. There was another button that he pressed every few seconds. Looking at the screen, he was entering the characters that made up his name. He was also inputting some other information about himself as well.

"Here, now you enter your name."

"Uh okay. Um, how do I...?"

"Use this thing right here."

"Ah, right!" I couldn't help but feel so extremely nervous, being next to Tomoya-kun like this. I was constantly worried that one mistake would ruin this happy atmosphere that I was now sharing with him.

"Wait, that's the symbol for male."

"Oops." My heart immediately began to race, pulsating throughout my whole body. I tried to steel myself, wanting to avoid looking like a nervous wreck, but my hands were slightly trembling. A soft chime came ringing into our ears, as the machine displayed the next question...

"Ah." Tomoya-kun and I softly exclaimed, as we gazed at the question that was now etched onto the screen. A slow blush slowly formed on my face, the heat making me a little lightheaded. I had to blink my eyes a few times just to keep myself focused.

"What's our relationship?" The question threw me for a loop, as my right hand immediately withdrew from the ball. Tomoya-kun's right hand decided to take over as he was contemplating an answer to this.

"Well, let's see..."

"U-Um..." I was hesitant, clearly unable to decide how to go about answering this rather... intimate question. But before I could have any more time to myself to deliberate, Kyou forcibly joined the palm of my right hand on top of Tomoya-kun's hand.

"Come on, hurry it up!"

"Kyou, what are you...?" I was beyond shocked at my own sister's boldness. My voice was pleading, wanting an immediate answer to what she just did, almost to the point where you could hear it breaking, a tinge of screeching that unknowingly escaped from my lips.

"It says you're supposed to put your hands together when you play."

"Sorry about this." I wanted to apologize to him for this newfound awkwardness that we now found ourselves in. Judging from Tomoya-kun's reaction, he didn't seem too bothered by it at all.

"It's all right, I don't mind." I could hear Tomoya-kun's hand gently inputting the answers into the machine. I kept my gaze towards the ground, unable to muster up the courage to be able to look at the answer that he was going to choose. Another chime echoed throughout my ears.

"Okay, there." My eyes darted upward towards the screen immediately out of reflex. A part of me feared the worst, but at the same time, a part of me knew that the answer he chose... was inevitable.

"Ah." Despite knowing that, my eyes couldn't help but widen at the answer he chose to the question.

"Uh! Come on! What's wrong with you?" Onee-chan's sudden outburst literally knocked Tomoya-kun off of his seat, as his body fell onto the ground.

"Whoa! Hold on! Damn it, Kyou! That hurt!" A gasp escaped from my mouth as my left hand instinctively covered over it out of reflex, muffling the sound.

"Oh, oh yeah? Well that's what you get for ruining the mood! You're supposed to pick 'lover,' not 'friend.' Otherwise, it's not any fun! Everyone knows that!"

The three of us were now walking down the streets once more, having left the arcade. The sun was already beginning to set below the horizon. Onee-chan was staring at the tiny slip of paper that the machine printed out for us. My mind couldn't help but think back to the incident that just occurred shortly a while ago, when onee-chan decided to place my hand on top of Tomoya-kun's. I love my older sister, and I know that she cares about me too, which is why she goes so far just to help me. And at the same time, I couldn't help but wonder what was going through her mind right now. I know that she was madly in love with Tomoya-kun as well, but for her to simply give up like this, just so that I can have a shot at being with him... I couldn't help but think that onee-chan was being selfish in her own way. If she wanted to be with him so much, then why use me to get to him? Couldn't she just confess to Tomoya-kun himself? Does she share... the same fear that I do... that either of us being in a relationship with Tomoya-kun would make things so awkward among our friends? I just didn't know what to make of that. Onee-chan is strong, physically, emotionally, far more stronger than I ever could be, and yet, was she afraid? All the evidence says that she is. To fathom that she had a vulnerable side might sound unbelievable to some people, but she was just human, like anybody else. She just wants to love and be loved by someone who she trusts entirely with her heart. And yet, she fully understands that nothing can ever go back to the ways things are now if she were to start dating him. Nagisa-chan...Kotomi-chan...Sakagami-san...I'm sure that they know this as well. I'm sure that's the reason why none of them have confessed their feelings towards Tomoya-kun yet. And with Nagisa still trying to get the Drama Club reestablished, a conflict like this would just make matters worse. I don't want to see any of my friends, or anyone in general, hurt at all. Love is supposed to be a happy and wonderful thing to behold and experience. It isn't without its own share of pain, but it shouldn't be _this_ kind of pain, the kind that can destroy the bonds of friendship in a matter of seconds, the kind that can drive people to madness and death.

Was I... was I going to be the one... who had to make the impossible choice? At the rate things were going at...

"'A kind female and a male with a strong sense of responsibility. You will be very compatible friends. However, whether it develops beyond this is up to each individual.' Can't get any more generic than that, can you?" She handed the fortune over to me so that I could get the opportunity to glance at it as well.

"Aren't all fortunes like that? What'd you expect?" Tomoya-kun did make a good point there.

"But still, I'm glad it didn't say we were totally incompatible." My eyes remained fixed onto that tiny piece of paper. The last line of the fortune gave me a small semblance of hope from the dark thoughts permeating my mind at the moment, allowing me to smile for just a short while. Onee-chan sprinted ahead of us for some unknown reason. I called out to her without thinking.

"Hey, onee-chan?" She turned her head towards us, smiling an unusual smile full of questionable doubt, regardless of the smile that was apparent on her face.

"I have an errand to run, so I'm leaving. Tomoya, make sure Ryou gets home safe?"

"Hey!" Tomoya-kun called out to her, but she still kept on running. I'm pretty sure that she ignored him on purpose.

My eyes remained focused on the pavement once more, now realizing why onee-chan just left the two of us... alone. I couldn't let this go on any more. I knew... that this issue was going to eat away at my mind if I didn't do something. And yet, my own guilt might eat away at my mind if I _did_ do something. What would you do? What would anybody do in my position? As I finished deliberating with my own inner thoughts, I slowly closed my eyes... and took a small but deep breath.

...For better... or for worse, I knew what I had to do then and there.

* * *

><p>With Kyou conveniently out of the way, it was just now Fujibayashi and I left to our own devices. The two of us were now sitting on a bench at Hamura Station, waiting for her bus to arrive. She was seated to my right and I to her left. We didn't know how long we would be waiting for the bus to arrive, so I decided to strike up some idle conversation to pass the time. It gave me something else to do besides staring at the building in front of me.<p>

"You're really into that fortune-telling stuff, huh?" I noticed the look of surprise in her eyes as she must had found it shocking that I was the one who initiated a conversation with her. Her eyes turned back towards the slip of paper in her right hand before she looked back at me, awkwardly smiling at me in nervousness.

"I think girls are genetically predisposed to be interested in fortune-telling."

"Yeah, too bad your fortune-telling is so..." Realizing that I was about to offend without actually being conscious of it, I stopped mid-sentence. "No, I mean..."

"Hehe. It's okay. I know I'm bad at it." Hearing her giggle abashedly at my insult caught me off guard. It certainly wasn't the kind of response that I had anticipated from her at all.

"Wait, you know you're bad?" I was surprised to see her admit something like that, considering how much she seemed to enjoy telling fortunes for other people.

"I have to admit, I'm still a little disappointed sometimes. But in the end, I think it actually works out better this way."

"Why's that?" Ryou simply smiled at my curiosity.

"Hmm, if a prediction is right, then it's like you only have one future, like that future has been decided. But if it's wrong, then you have an almost infinite number of possibilities, and that means that even the tiniest twist of fate can change your future. I want to believe that I have choices, that the path I walk has many different turns, and many different roads to follow."

My eyes turned from her towards the dimming sky, as I allowed myself time to let her words sink into me. Her words struck a chord in my mind. The paths that we venture throughout our lives are determined by the choices that we do and don't make. Each decision sends us down a path that we thought might never have existed until we find ourselves walking on it.

I turned to look at my watch as I noticed that there was still time to kill. As the two of us were continuing to wait for Fujibayashi's bus to arrive, I decided to strike up some more idle chatter to hurry time along. There was something that had been on my mind for a while now, so I felt that with her sister Kyou nowhere nearby, I could ask her safely.

"Hey Fujibayashi, there's something that I've been meaning to ask you for a while now." I was staring right into her blue eyes. A small blush was slowly creeping onto her face as her eyes met mine. For a while now, I suspected that both of the Fujibayashi twins had feelings for me. To avoid any awkward moments between the three of us, I had decided to keep my mouth shut on the matter. But after what just happened at the arcade earlier, I felt that maybe I should start bringing it up sooner rather than later.

"Is something wrong, Okazaki-kun?" Well, here goes nothing, I told myself. I thought it wiser to try to ease ourselves into the obvious question first, though. It might've made things less stressful on her end. The question that I was about to ask her might cause her mind to go on the fritz, but I believed that I had to start saying something about the issue at hand. I asked her the first question that popped into my mind and worked my way from there on.

"Um, can I call you by your first name?" It was definitely a bold question, I'll admit, and I guess I was nervous as well, for I can hear my own heartbeat race just a tiny bit faster than it did before. Her face was already lighting up at my random question. That was the kind of reaction that I was hoping for.

"Um… uh, wait, what? I… uh…" Can't even form coherent sentences anymore, can you, eh Fujibayashi? I found myself sardonically pointing out the obvious in my mind as her face was as red as a tomato right now, too; her eyes remained fixated to the ground, incapable of making direct eye contact with me anymore. I couldn't help but smile at the amusing sight before me. She was cute whenever she's flustered like this. Maybe I was pushing my luck a bit with this question of mine. I decided to try clarifying things a bit. My question was a serious one, but I might as well try to lighten the mood a little to make things a little more bearable for the both of us.

"We're friends, right? I mean, we have known each other for over a year now. I figured that it was only natural that we should go by a first-name basis, wouldn't you agree… _Ryou_?" I emphasized her first name to prove that I was now being serious about my question. Now that I thought about it, why haven't I called her by her name after all this time anyway? Maybe it was because we weren't exactly the closest of friends to start with. But then again, I could say the _exact_ same thing about Kyou as well. I didn't know a whole lot about her personal life and yet, I called the older sister by _her_ first name. Was it because I felt more comfortable talking with Kyou? Kyou was assertive while Ryou was passive. But, that shouldn't matter, should it? In fact, if I were to think about it, I was supposed to have an easier time talking with Ryou over Kyou, simply because of how blunt the older sister can be. But the younger sister had a hard time forming words around me out of nervousness at being in my presence. And yet, Ryou was far kinder than her confrontational older sister.

Ugh, going by that train of thought… I realized that I was an absolute hypocrite. My mind was subconsciously poking holes in my own logic as I tried to rationalize my idiocy. Maybe I felt more comfortable around her? No, that couldn't be right at all. Both have their weak points and their strong points. So, thinking back on all this time that I had known the Fujibayashi twins... why was it that Kyou interested me more?

Ryou was still avoiding my face by the time I finished my question, but I noticed that her head was slowly turning towards me as I noticed that she was smiling brightly at my response.

"I certainly don't mind… Tomoya-kun. Of course, it's going to take a while for me to get used to it," she responded with a small giggle. I couldn't help but smile at her. Glad I could ease her nervousness there.

"By the way, Tomoya-kun, what exactly made you ask that anyway?" Here we go.

"…back at the arcade earlier." I was a little hesitant to reply, but I managed. Now it was my turn to stare at the ground and break eye contact with Ryou. "If you don't want to talk about it, then that's okay."

"No, it's fine." My eyes were still focused on the cement ground. I was too nervous to look in Ryou's direction, so I don't know how she's reacting to this right now. I couldn't bear to look. "It's about the fortune-telling machine we were at earlier, right?"

"…You wanted me to pick 'lover,' right?" I could hear an audible gasp escape from Ryou's mouth just now. I had definitely struck a chord with her.

"…Yes."

"Is it because-"

"Please stop, Tomoya-kun." My eyes hastily widened at the fact that she had interrupted me. The ever-shy Ryou Fujibayashi interjected in the middle of my question. I had to turn to look at her, to see the emotions that were permeating her face. A sudden pang of guilt engulfed me as the gentle-hearted girl was desperately trying to fight back incoming tears. I could tell from her breaking voice and the slight stuttering that came with it.

"I… I can't say… it wouldn't be fair… to onee-chan. She also… loves you too, Tomoya-kun." Well, hearing her admit to that confirmed another suspicion that I had about Kyou. I knew that she was on the verge of crying any moment now, so I did the decent thing that a friend would do. I slowly found myself wrapping my arms around her small body as I rested my head on her right shoulder, holding her close to me. My right cheek was pressed up against hers as I held her tenderly. It felt somewhat warm, so I would imagine that she was blushing madly right now. I noticed people were staring at us for a few moments while they continued walking. I didn't particularly care for them right now. The only thing that mattered to me right now was cheering Ryou up.

"Thank you, Tomoya-kun. Thank you… so much."

"I don't really deserve it, Ryou. You and I both know that."

"Please, don't be so hard on yourself." She slowly placed both of her hands onto my shoulders, her gaze meeting mine, her sapphire eyes so piercing and determined to convey her thoughts. Her face was beginning to turn red again. Her eyes were looking downward once more, unable to meet mine. I had a feeling Ryou was going to say something that would most definitely embarrass her, but even so, she still maintained her grip on my shoulders and her gaze on me resumed. "That's one thing that I… love about you, Tomoya-kun. You go so far just to help out a friend, even if it's at your own expense. I mean, you willingly let yourself be suspended from school just to save Sakagami-san. I don't think I would have the courage to do what you did. I know… that there's another girl who you care about deeply… and that I'll never be that girl that you choose in the end. Even so, the only thing that matters is your happiness, Tomoya-kun. And as your friend… I just don't want to see you depressed."

"What about _your_ happiness, Ryou?" My question definitely threw her off completely as she stared at me with wide eyes, faint trances of tears in the corner of her eyes. From her response, I could tell that she was indirectly telling me that she was going to give up her romantic pursuits on me, and that the girl she was referring to... was most likely Nagisa. It was moments like these where I admired how selfless Ryou can be at times, even if it hurts her deep inside her heart. "It's okay… to be a little selfish… when you're in love with someone. Love tends to do that to people often. I know that you're a sweet and selfless person, but aren't you hurting yourself the most by giving up this easily?"

Ryou closed her eyes for a moment, probably to regain her thoughts and her composure. When she opened her eyes again, she continued on. "…I don't know if you've noticed it. I guess you have your suspicions, but I'll finally clarify it for you, just in case. Onee-chan has been trying to set the two of us up together…as a couple, despite the fact…that she too has feelings for you, Tomoya-kun."

"That would explain a lot of things."

"Was it that obvious?"

"Kyou isn't what you would describe as being subtle."

The two of us couldn't help but laugh at that little snide remark that I made. She would definitely kick my ass if she overheard the two of us right now. Luckily, she was nowhere nearby. At least, I hope she wasn't...

"Onee-chan would seriously hurt you if she were close by."

"Wouldn't you protect a dear friend from your older sister?" I jokingly retorted back, smiling at the silliness the two of us were now indulging ourselves within. As our laughter slowly died down, we returned to our topic at hand. My voice became serious once more as I slowly began to understand the dilemma I had now found myself in.

"…Kyou… she's hurting too, isn't she?"

"…Yes, yes, she is. She may want us to be together, but I know that doing so will just hurt her even more. That's why… I can't confess my feelings to you. I don't want to jeopardize our friendship at all. I'm just so thankful that we could even be friends to begin with. And I don't want to put my relationship with my sister at any risk, either."

"I see. I'm sorry, Ryou."

"No need to apologize. And besides, you like Nagisa-chan, right? Isn't she the one who you want to be with?"

Ryou's question had me thinking for a moment there. Was I really in love in Nagisa? She had become a close friend of mine. Certainly, she had never left my mind the moment she fell sick. And yes, I'll admit, I felt a strange warmness inside myself every time that I was near her, but was that really love that I was feeling? I didn't get a chance to ponder for too long, as my ears heard Ryou giggling at something… or someone.

"Your face, Tomoya-kun. It's burning red." At least, Ryou was happy, laughing without a care in the world. Me on the other hand, this was quite embarrassing. I laughed along with her, stilted and awkward it might have been, but at least it was keeping things light between the two of us.

"I'll admit… I do… like Nagisa… but whether or not that extends to anything on a romantic level, I don't know for sure… yet."

"Ah… I see." Was that a sign of quiet resignation… or renewed hope?

"Sorry if I'm giving you any false hope."

"It's okay. Sometimes, hope is all that we have."

I found myself sighing in sheer exasperation at everything. "What have I gotten myself into here? I get the feeling that you and your sister aren't the only ones who likes me, am I right?"

"Well, common sense would dictate that Nagisa-chan harbors feelings for you as well, Tomoya-kun. You two are really close, after all. It wouldn't surprise me one bit if she started falling for you the moment you gave her the courage to start up the Drama Club again." Ryou was smiling as her head tilted slightly upwards, staring at the darkened sky, the sun setting below the horizon soon. "Onee-chan is quite jealous of Sakagami-san as well. She has been around you a whole lot more often these past several days, right?" I silently nod my head. "Despite the fact that Kotomi-chan herself hasn't made any strides towards you, I believe that onee-chan also sees her as competition as well."

"Wow, I guess nobody is safe from your sister, huh?"

"Well, onee-chan can be… aggressive, to say the least. She won't do anything to physically hurt her friends, but most likely, she'll try to push the two of us together even harder. I assume she believes that no one else will interfere if we officially become a couple."

Another sigh escapes from my mouth as I sat there on the bench, pondering about the unknown future that lies ahead in my life. "Damned if I do, damned if I don't." I openly complained aloud.

"I'm sorry, Tomoya-kun."

"You don't have to apologize. It's not your fault. I should be thanking you instead."

"Huh? Why?" Her head canted slightly to the left as an air of curiosity filled her eyes. I couldn't but find the sight... unusually adorable for some reason.

"I think I would have gone mad at this point, wondering how things will turn out. At least, I have someone to talk to about all of this. I'm really glad you're here with me, Ryou." I smiled at the timid purple-haired girl. I honestly was being sincere with my words, and I would assume Ryou sensed it too, as her usual blush returned to her face.

"Um, thank you." Her gentle smile was warm. It reminded me of Nagisa's. Now that I think about it, those two were a lot alike in many ways.

"You seem to blush every time you're near me, eh?"

"It's a bad habit that I developed ever since I had a crush on you, Tomoya-kun. I'll get better… someday." Ryou was smiling so awkwardly right now. She must be feeling a little flustered. "I can't help it. I can't help but feel this way."

"Would confessing to me help a bit?"

"It might… but-"

"But nothing!" My abrupt comment definitely startled Ryou, as she was staring at me with wide eyes. I gently put both of my hands onto her shoulders again in an attempt to calm her down and dissuade any notions that I was angry with her. I took a deep breath, closing my eyes in the process, calming myself down as I mentally prepared myself for what I was about to say to her next. I slowly opened my eyes, staring into her blue eyes once more, smiling to reassure her that everything would be all right. "If you didn't have to worry about Kyou… or anybody else… if you didn't have to worry about being rejected… even for a brief instant, if you wanted to be happy, would you take that chance? Would you seize the opportunity?"

I didn't realize the full weight of my own words until the unthinkable occurred. The two of us just sat there in complete silence, just staring at each other in the eye. I didn't even notice that the gap between the two of us was closing in, that our faces were inching closer together. I couldn't tell if my face was moving towards Ryou's, if her face was moving towards mine, or whether or not both of us were moving towards each other. Regardless, right then and there, none of that mattered to me… as our lips touched one another. It might be embarrassing to admit this, but I've never kissed a girl before. I can't say for certain what it's supposed to feel like, but it felt warm and moist. The kiss only lasted a few seconds, but it felt like it dragged on forever, not that that was a bad thing. I was just nervous, and the longer that kiss felt, the more it was twisting me up on the inside. But, as quickly as it came, that feeling dissipated. I slowly opened my eyes again and noticed Ryou doing the same. The silence between the two of us was starting to grow. I decided to break the ice.

"Do you… regret it… the fact that we kissed, I mean?" My words were mere whispers to the both of us as I didn't know how I was supposed to react to all of this. There were still only a few inches separating our faces from each other as I felt her light breath on my face. Despite the fact that I was facing Ryou, my eyes were wondering around, mostly looking towards my lower right, avoiding her piercing gaze. As the silence between us started to grow once more, my eyes couldn't help but instinctively wander back to meet Ryou's eyes. What surprised me was what I didn't see: her eyes, for she had them closed as if she were in deep thought. As I saw her eyelids slowly open again, her lips slowly drew upwards into a small smile.

"No… I have no regrets, Tomoya-kun." It was a simple and honest answer, straight to the point, no ambiguities to confuse anyone, no misconceptions to be misinterpreted. It was... the truth. Her truth.

"Are you sure about that?" My two hands left her shoulders as my entire body turned from her direction back forward towards the street once more. My left hand was now resting on my lap while my right hand was now grasping the edge of the wooden bench that we were sitting on. I was waiting for a response from within the silence that resumed between the two of us once more. Several moments later, I felt my right hand coming in contact with something soft and warm. It was Ryou's left hand or so I had thought. I turned my head downwards towards the right to verify it. It really was her hand gently holding onto mine. A part of me was a little surprised at how bold she was becoming these past several minutes, but another part of me was relieved. I guess she was starting to feel a whole lot more comfortable around me if she could do something as holding my hand. The act of holding hands may be something really simple on the surface. Heck, anybody with an arm could do it, but it was the emotional weight behind such a basic action that defined its deeper meaning. Two friends holding hands and two _lovers_ holding hands are completely different in context and meaning. I didn't know where I would fit in if we were talking about Ryou and me, but right then and there, it didn't matter to me one bit. I was merely thankful for Ryou's company, for being able to vent my innermost thoughts to her.

Her face was red once more as her sapphire eyes peered at me, full of nervous confliction and yet, there was a glint of determined conviction as well. For the first time since we started talking here on this wooden bench, I couldn't read Ryou's expression at all. "Yes, I'm sure… Tomoya-kun."

I couldn't help but smile at the sight that I saw before me and at the simple reply she gave me. For once, I thought that perhaps there was a whole lot more to this shy girl, to Ryou Fujibayashi, than I had initially thought after all this time that I knew her. I returned her genuine kindness the only way I knew how: all five of my fingers on my right hand were slowly adjusting themselves as Ryou slightly loosened her grip on my hand. I'm pretty sure she understood what I was trying to do the moment my fingers tried to lightly part hers as the tips slowly touched the top of her hand. Ryou reciprocated the action as the palms of ours hands were now touching each other and our fingers softly intertwined with one another, gently caressing each other, resting atop the wooden bench. The two of us just sat there in total silence, merely taking pleasure and comfort in being next to each other. We just stared at one another, our eyes looking deeply into the irises of the other person, awkward smiles and the occasional diverting gazes abound. My mind was gradually beginning to sink into romantic thoughts of grandeur. At the rate things were going at, I didn't know what would happen next. I had to say something, _anything_ to Ryou just to get out of my thoughts and back into reality.

"Hey Ryou."

"Yes, Tomoya-kun?"

"Remember when you told me my fortune several weeks ago?" Ryou giggled at my question. I took it that she did remember, judging from her response.

"Yes, it's hard to believe time can fly by so quickly, huh?"

_I remember how I had showed up for school, just like any other day of the week. Nothing new, nothing out of the ordinary. My same mundane life, destined to be repeated day in and day out until the day I graduated, that is, if I actually passed my courses, anyway. But looking back on that day, I never would have thought in a million years that my life would ever improve. Technically speaking, that was the last day of my ordinary life. Fate must've pitied me, for it sent a messenger in the form of the short-haired, timidly shy Ryou Fujibayashi to bring a glimmer of hope into my life. A glimmer of hope that would change my entire life forever…_

_"Ah, Okazaki-kun?"_

_"Huh? What's the matter? What is it?" _

_"Looks like you're a little late again today, aren't you?"_

_"So?" I drearily responded. At that point in my life, I just didn't care about school at all. Thinking back on that moment, that was probably a selfish thing to say to her. She was the class representative. It was her duty to make sure that everyone in class was behaving, and that includes everyone showing up to class on time as well. Her job was most likely hellacious thanks to Sunohara and me. _

_"Well, I just think you should come to school on time every day, that's all."_

_"Oh? You're starting to sound like the class leader or something, you know that?" I knew that she was the class representative, but my joking side couldn't help but tease her at that point in our conversation. _

_"But, it's not 'any' or 'something.' I really am the class leader!"_

_One of the other guys in the classroom was either eavesdropping or overheard the conversation that Ryou and I were having because he felt the need to interject. _

_"Hey, Okazaki. Don't make her cry! You'll have her big sister rushing in."_

_"Oh, don't worry! I'm not crying at all." Considering how broken her voice was becoming at that point, I'm pretty sure she was going to cry at any moment. _

_"Okay, I got it. Let's just see how I do tomorrow." I turned my head back towards the open window, staring out into the sky. I couldn't make any promises, but I wanted to alleviate her concerns. The last thing I wanted was to make the class representative upset, lest I incur Kyou's wrath. She must've been taken aback by my hopeful comment because she was struggling to find a suitable response. _

_"Well, then, uh...I'll read your fortune for tomorrow. Fortune-telling is my hobby, you see." She took out a deck of cards from her skirt pocket as I turned my head towards her, giving her an incredulous stare. She didn't need to do it, but declining her offer would've been worse. She proceeded to shuffle the deck of cards. _

_"Oh!" I heard a quiet gasp escape from her mouth. All the cards in her two hands fell out of her grasp, drifting onto the floor. Butterfingers, I suppose. But then again, I'm not exactly any better, either. I wasn't exactly a cardshark. _

_"Oh, boy..." I did what any decent person would do as I pushed back in my seat a little and proceeded to help Ryou pick up her cards. But before I could even touch one card, she proceeded to read me my fortune right then and there. _

_"It says you're going to be late tomorrow." I remember being incredibly shocked by her statement to the point where I actually fell back on my chair, hitting the floor forcibly. At the time, I thought she was just screwing with me. _

_"Ah! You trying to make me mad?"Considering how meek she was, that was probably the last thing she had wanted to do. _

_"It's just what the cards say! I think this is your future."_

_"You think that's my future?" _

_"On your way to school, you'll have a romantic meeting with a sweet girl. You'll forget all about the time, and that's why you're going to be late."_

_"Seems to be awfully specific, isn't it?"_

_"You can call it a maiden's inspiration!"_

_I didn't realize it on the day she read me that fortune, but I never thought that Ryou of all people would actually prophesized me meeting the one girl who would become the ultimate catalyst of my entire life. It was just fortune telling after all. I didn't think it was meant to be taken seriously at all. But, either by sheer coincidence or fate, I met the one girl who just stumbled onto my life who would change everything for me…slowly but surely._

…_Nagisa Furukawa. _

"Yeah, it sure does. Did I ever tell you that your fortune turned out to be true after all?"

"It really did?" Ryou looked genuinely surprised by my question. I nodded my head in return. Ryou giggled as if she came to a realization. "It was Nagisa-chan who turned out to be the sweet girl that you had a romantic meeting with, huh?"

I grinned sheepishly at her question, scratching the side of my head with my right hand. "I wouldn't say it was all that romantic… but yeah, I did meet Nagisa the day after you read me that fortune. Pretty crazy, eh?"

"I wouldn't think so. Regardless of whether or not it was accidental or fated, you two have become really close friends. And I'm really thankful that I've become Nagisa-chan's friend as well. It's rather obvious that she has had a very positive influence on your life, Tomoya-kun. And you've had a positive influence on her life too. You've given her the motivation and strength to try to bring the Drama Club back again."

"Well, when you put it like that…"

"You're so modest, Tomoya-kun. You shouldn't be so hard on yourself all the time."

I smiled cheerfully at her attempt to try to cheer me up. "Thanks, Ryou."

"Hehehe, anything for a friend, right?"

"You really consider me a friend?" My question no doubt invoked confusion within Ryou, as her face was now wearing a look of confusion and slight depression.

"You don't feel the same way?" I probably should've chosen my words a _little_ better. Hoping to erase the misconception that I caused, I elaborated on my previous inquiry.

"Well… before today, the two of us barely talked to one another. We might have a small conversation every now and then, but those pale in comparison to this one conversation that we're having at the moment, right?" She slowly nodded her head in understanding, listening intently to my words. "Usually, when your sister is around, I'm usually talking to her instead. Considering how brash Kyou can be, she tends to be the one dominating the conversations. You... tend to fade into the background, for lack of a better phrase." I wasn't sure if my words were making the situation better or worse, but before I could contemplate any further, I noticed Ryou's lips slowly curving upwards into a small smile. It wasn't one of genuine happiness, but more of ironic realization.

"I guess… onee-chan was right."

"Huh? What did she say?"

"She said... that if I keep hesitating, then I would end up losing to Sakagami-san."

"Oh, I see." Things were looking to be a whole lot more complicated from here on out. Have I really been _this_ dense, or have I simply chosen to ignore it, hoping that it would resolve itself somehow? I had the feeling that things are going to get worse before they will ever get any better. The loud hiss and roar of the bus nearby broke my train of thought as the bus pulled in in front of us, coming to a screeching halt.

"Well, looks like my ride is here, Tomoya-kun."

"I guess I'll be tagging along with you, then."

"W-w-wait, w-what...why?" She was stammering her words out to me, a furious blush gracing her two cheeks.

"Kyou did tell me to make sure you got home safe, remember?"

Ryou's eyes widened in realization at my frank words. Judging from her reaction, I assumed that she just now remembered how Kyou just abruptly left the two of us alone. There were probably other things on Ryou's mind at the moment that most likely made her forget her sister's own words for a brief moment. With her cheeks still red as ever, she smiled, almost to a grin, her eyes now facing the pavement once more, most likely out of embarrassment.

"Shall we go?" Ryou simply nodded her head as the two of us slowly made our way inside the bus. Climbing the small steps, paying for my fare, and walking down the aisle of the bus, the two of us settled on a seat somewhere in the middle right. I offered her the window seat as a courtesy. She smiled at me as her body settled into the seat next to the window. I settled in the leather seat, scooting a little bit closer to her. The close proximity that the two of us now found ourselves in obviously made her uncomfortably nervous, as her eyes remained fixed towards the window. I sat there in my seat, quietly staring at Ryou's face, her face faintly reflecting off of the window adjacent to our seat. I couldn't help but feel that I was at fault here. My question from earlier probably wasn't in good taste, thinking back on it. My right hand slowly found its way towards Ryou's left shoulder, as my palm gently rested upon it. Ryou's head turned to face me the moment she felt my touch.

"I'm sorry... for what I said earlier. I really do consider you a friend." My voice was barely above a whisper, something that was not the norm for me. But that didn't matter. I wanted to be sincere with my words. I wanted to be honest and make sure that Ryou's feelings weren't hurt again because I was too oblivious to concepts such as tact and restraint. I usually speak from the heart, and that could be a boon for me sometimes if I'm not careful with the words that I say. In this case, I was hoping for the opposite, that my words could make her feel a little better. Now that she was facing me, I could get a good look at her face. What surprised me the most was what _didn't_ happened: her sapphire eyes never left mine. The two of us were just staring at each other, lost within the irises of the person in front of us. Ryou's eyes lacked the piercing intensity that Kyou had, but I didn't mind that at all. The conversation we had back on the bench earlier proved that her eyes can have a piercing quality to them, one that can see through the surface. There really was no denying that she was Kyou Fujibayashi's twin sister. Despite the fact that the two couldn't be any more different, it was a given that the younger sister would have some of the qualities that defined the older sister. But even so, Ryou's eyes were...different right then and there. Even when her eyes gazes into mine to read my emotions, there was something...mellow that I can see. It was unlike Kyou's, as hers were sometimes harsh, other times playful, but then there were moments where her eyes displayed traces of sadness. Those were the eyes that I now saw before me within the younger sister. As I looked into them, I saw...something calming yet forlorn, the same kind of look that someone might have if they were just silently staring off into the horizon, lost in deep contemplative thought. It's as if...she wanted something more... something that was... far beyond her grasp. I didn't know what that something _was_ exactly, but I have my theories. They say that a person's eyes are the windows into a person's soul. I think I was starting to believe that now...

Ryou... simply smiled at me, her response a mere whisper. "It's okay. Don't worry about it... I'm glad you feel the same way, too. You're my friend, Tomoya-kun."

I couldn't help but feel emotionally touched by her words. I returned her smile with one of my own. In that brief moment, I felt at ease with myself. I knew that feeling wasn't going to last forever, but at least I could take comfort in such a wonderful but fleeting emotion. I don't know what the future has in store for me. I have no idea what direction my life, my story, will eventually take. I don't know how things will change. The fear of change... is something that frightens me dearly. It unnerves me to no end, as I witness the people that I'm around and the places that I'm familiar with slowly change with the passage of time. I know that change is an inevitability, that there's nothing I can do to stop that, but it still haunts me with the same ferocity that it always has. I wished things could just stay the same as they are between our group of friends. I wish these idyllic days could last forever, but I know...that with each passing day... these peacefully blissful days of high school will eventually come to an end. I knew that I would be graduating soon and head off into the real world. But right here...right now... at the very least, I could find a quantum of solace within my own friends. Even if things do change among all of us, among Ryou, Kyou, Nagisa, Kotomi, Tomoyo, and Sunohara, I'm glad that I have at least one friend... who will endure hell with me. Even if the future yields a bleak fate for all of us, at least the memories that we shared will live on inside all of us, the good, the bad, and everything else in-between, even if those memories eventually fade into...

...a half-remembered dream.

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><p><span>Author's Note #5<span>: The Fujibayashi twins checking up on Tomoya (4:15 - 4:44), the events at the game arcade (4:45 - 6:27) and a very brief part of the conversation that Ryou and Tomoya had (6:28 - 7:23) were in the anime. Everything else, before, in-between, and after, that didn't happen in the anime series was my own creation.

_Well, that's the end of chapter 3. If you actually made it to the end of the chapter, then I salute you for being able to put up with my story. If it's not asking too much, any kind of feedback, be it pointing out spelling/grammar mistakes, suggestions, or just your thoughts and feelings on this chapter, anything would be great. All I ask is that you remain civil and keep things constructive. That's all. ^_^'_

_If you're curious as to when I'll have the next chapter up, I can't give you any specific dates, but I can tell you to check my profile every single day to see how much progress I've made on the next chapter. You'll find a percentage number there indicating how much of the next chapter I have completed. The next chapter will go up the moment that number hits 100%. _

_And don't worry, I'm never going to drop this story, so long as there is continued interest from readers for my fanfic. For personal reasons, I want to see this story through to the very end, even if it takes a long time to get there. The only way that I'm gonna stop writing this story is if real life prevents me from doing so. So far, it hasn't, yet. XD And here's hoping it stays that way for a very long time..._

_Footnotes__:_

**[1]** – Tomoya met Kyou a year before the first episode of season 1 takes place, as shown in episode 23 of **_Clannad ~After Story~_**_, The Event from One Year Before _(一年前の出来事_Ichinen Mae no Dekigoto_).

**[2]** – Tomoya met Ryou sometime after he did with Kyou, as detailed in _Throbbing Moment_ (ときめく瞬間 _Tokimeku shunkan_), a short story from **_Official Another Story Clannad: On the Hill that Light Watches Over_** (**_Official Another Story_** **_Clannad_** 光見守る坂道で). As far as I know, no known English translation of this short story exists anywhere on the Internet…


	4. Chapter 4

_5/6/2012__ (Last edited on 05/14/2013) - Hello, people of FanFiction dot net. The next chapter is finally here. There are now 9 reviews as of this chapter! ^_^ Thanks to everyone who has left a review. As the author of this story, I'm happy to see reviews being left behind. It motivates me to continue on with this story of mine. ^_^ Even though some of the character's personalities might/will be slightly altered for the sake of my fanfic, I'll try to remain faithful to their overall "spirit" that was portrayed in the anime series. Clannad is my favorite anime series of all time, so I felt compelled to write a story of my own. I hope you enjoy it. And once again, any feedback that you can provide would be nice and very appreciated. ^_^ And with that, here is chapter 4: _

_Paragraphs in italics denote a flashback. Single words in italics / single words in regular print during a flashback denote emphasis and should be read as such.  
><em>_Chapter rated T for__: Mild language and mild suggestive themes.  
><em>_Genre__: Comedy/Drama/Romance/Slice of Life  
><em>_Pairing(s)__: None at the moment (Tomoya x Tomoyo/Kyou/Nagisa/Fuko/Kotomi/Ryou has been teased, though...)  
><em>_Crossover(s)__: None at the moment...(Two characters from two different series will be making early-bird cameos somewhere in this chapter. Whether or not I'll be able to weave them into my story later on is a different story entirely...)_

Author's Note #1: The entirety of this chapter takes place between 6:56 and 7:23 minutes of episode 18 of the first season and is entirely made up of events from my own imagination.

Author's Note #2: Tomoya x ?, Sunohara x ?; 'still debating, as always. 'might take into consideration feedback from whoever might read this story of mine. It's no guarantee, but it's still fun to see what readers want to see. I've now included a poll on my profile page. You can go vote for your choice there. ;) As of this chapter, 2 votes for Harem, 2 votes for Tomoyo Sakagami. Interesting...

Author's Note #3: The beginning of this chapter is told from Tomoya's point of view. Nagisa, and her parents Sanae and Akio, will finally be making their official debut into my fanfic as of this chapter, and the perspective will temporarily switch to her. Then, it'll switch back to Tomoya. The chapter will end on Nagisa's perspective.

Author's Note #4: I'll be adding footnotes from here on out. If I'm making a reference to an anime series, movie, or video game, or I'm using a word(s) that I feel needs an explanation, there'll be a bracket with a number inside it. The footnotes will be at the very end of the chapter.

Author's Note #5: Chapter 4 is slightly shorter than Chapter 3, but not by a whole lot. Hope you don't mind the length.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything _**Clannad**_-related, even though I wished I did...And from here on out, I do not own any series/movies/video games that I might make references to or decide to make any crossovers with as well.

* * *

><p><strong>Clannad ~Different Days~<strong>

-The Everyday Arc-

_Vague Synopsis - It's not quite the same story that you might remember, even if it feels strangely familiar. A different world, different relationships, different events...different days..._

**Chapter 4 – Seven Forty-Seven**

The bus was eerily quiet. The usual humming of the bus engines became complacent enough for my ears to the point where background noise blended into silence. I looked around and noticed that besides the bus driver, there was only one other passenger on board with Ryou and me. The passenger was an old man, who apparently was fast asleep, a soft snore echoing through the silence of the bus. He was sitting about three seats behind us on the left side of the bus. I turned my head over my left shoulder to get a better view of him. Judging from all the wrinkles on his face, it was safe to assume that he was pretty old. He was wearing a blue suit with a red tie. Was he some sort of businessman, I wondered? You would think a guy that old would be in retirement or something. I couldn't help but smile at that amusing thought. **[1]** I turned my attention from the old gentleman back to Ryou. She was gazing out the window, her face avoiding my gaze. I figured that she was too shy to be looking anywhere in my direction, but at the same time… I had this feeling that there was something else that was occupying her thoughts right now. What she was thinking about right now, I couldn't begin to guess, and I didn't want to interrupt her, so I just remained quiet, suppressing the urge to ask. The silence of the bus allowed me time to think about what had transpired earlier. Ryou and I were sitting on the bench waiting for her bus to arrive. For the first time in what felt like forever, we actually had a genuine conversation with each other. The two of us... accidentally kissed each other. We didn't mean for it to happen. It just... kinda happened, but neither of us regretted the intimate action at all. We talked for a bit more before entering the bus, and here we were, on the right half of the bus. Ryou had the window seat, while I was sitting next to her occupying the aisle seat. She was still staring out the window, looking at the passing buildings and trees. Moments in silence passed before I realized that there _was_ something else that I wanted to talk to Ryou about, so I figured now would be a good time as any to ask her. I had almost forgot about it for a moment, but given the dilemma that I now found myself in with all of the other girls, my mind was able to recall the question that I was hoping to inquire her with.

"Hey Ryou, can I ask you something?"

"Huh, what is it, Tomoya-kun?"

"Um..." I was a little hesitant about what was I about to ask of her, so I had to choose my words carefully. "Are you busy tomorrow afternoon?"

"No, I'm not too busy tomorrow. Was there something you needed from me?"

"I was just wondering... do you want to hang out? Just the two of us?"

"R-r-really? Do you mean it?" Her eyes lit up at my inquiry. I guess Ryou thought it was a good idea, too.

"D-don't get me wrong. It's not a date or anything like... or maybe you _can_ look at it as a date between two friends." I immediately broke off eye contact with her, flustered at the thought of going out on a date with any girl, much less Ryou Fujibayashi. My face was burning at the embarrassing idea. But at the same time, I knew that a date was something that she had always wanted to do with me. If I could make her a little happier, then I guess it wouldn't be so bad.

"Anyway, I figured... we haven't really hung out together, at least, not just by ourselves. I thought we could get to know each other a little better. You know, to make up for lost time?" I had half-expected Ryou to start tearing up at my suggestion that I would, at the very least, indulge in her fantasy of going out with her, but to my genuine yet dull surprise, she was rather… reserved in her reaction.

"S-sure, that's sounds wonderful, Tomoya-kun. One question though... what am I supposed to tell onee-chan?"

"That's... a good question." That _was_ a good question…

"I don't want to lie to onee-chan. I would feel guilty about it."

"Hmm, maybe you shouldn't tell her the whole truth then."

"But isn't that basically the same thing, Tomoya-kun? A glass half-full... or a glass half-empty, that's the proper analogy, right?"

"Yeah, it is. Hmm, do you have any ideas?"

"I have one at the moment. You may not like it, though."

"I don't mind hearing you out, Ryou."

"I think... it would be better I just told onee-chan the truth... that I would just spend the afternoon with you tomorrow. I know that she will definitely take it the wrong way, that the two of us were _really_ going on... a date. Even if I did try to lie to her, I'm pretty sure she can see right through me."

"I guess we have no other choice, then." I really didn't want Kyou to know the truth, but given the circumstances, my options were rather limited. If I had just wanted to make small talk with her younger sister, she would insist that she would have a right to listen in to it as well, seeing as she and I were friends and she and Ryou were sisters.

"I'm sorry, Tomoya-kun."

"Don't sweat it. Hmm, should we rehearse what you should tell Kyou when you break the news to her?"

"I'll just tell onee-chan the truth. I... I think I'll be able to manage. She'll probably tease me... but I think I'll be fine. If onee-chan... starts teasing me a little too much, you'll help, right, Tomoya-kun?"

"Yeah, definitely." I gave a thumbs up and a smile to reassure her that I had her back when she needed me. She reciprocated with a smile of her own. The bus stopped at the corner of the street. The two of us made were walking down the aisle to get off the bus. Before heading off the tiny steps to exit, I inquired the bus driver about the sleeping old man who was still lying asleep in his sleep.

"He'll be fine. He gave me specific instructions on when to wake him up. But thanks for your concern. It's good to see the youth care about their elders."

"Eh, it's nothing."

"I'll tell him about you whenever he wakes up. Maybe he'll reward you the next time you see him."

I couldn't help but laugh at the bus driver's comment. A reward...maybe he was a rich businessman after all. I highly doubt it, but it was an interesting thought nonetheless. "I was just concerned...and a little curious. I didn't ask for any reward."

"I'll let him know that." I slowly made my way off the bus, with Ryou following shortly behind. Realizing that I had no idea where her house was, I decided to let her take the lead while I followed behind her. We walked in silence, taking in the cool night air. Eventually, we came upon a huge two-story building. It wasn't quite the size of a mansion, but it was pretty big in its own right nonetheless.

"Wow, I never knew the two of you lived in such a huge house."

"Mhmm. I've been living here since the day onee-chan and I were born."

"You're not rich, are you?" I teasingly joked.

"No, I would say that we're about average." A slight embarrassed Ryou couldn't help but smile. Ryou slowly walked up the cement pavement towards the front door and rang the doorbell. Out came the older sister moments later.

"Ah, you're finally back, Ryou. And I see... wait, why's Tomoya here again?" I sincerely hoped that she was joking... _right?_

"I listened to your orders, and _this_ is the thanks I get?"

"Hehehehe, whoops, guess I forgot for a moment." A nervous laughter escaped from Kyou's mouth, her right hand scratching the side of her head. I feigned a cough, letting Ryou know what I wanted her to ask Kyou. She understood me immediately, as she braced herself for the question she was about to ask her older sister.

"Um, onee-chan. Can I ask you something?"

"Sure, what is it?"

"Uh..." She was struggling to find the right words to ask. I could tell that she was trying her best. Figuring that I could help, my left hand slowly found its way towards her right shoulder, a light pat alerting her of my presence. She turned her head towards me as I gave her a light smile, assuring her that everything would be fine. She reciprocated with a smile of her own. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see that Kyou was slightly confused as to what she was seeing before her eyes, a face that clearly told me that she was becoming curious about Ryou's inevitable question.

Ryou took a deep breath, closing her eyes as she did, but letting the air out of her lungs, her eyes slowly opening to look Kyou dead in the eye.

"Is it okay... if I spend tomorrow afternoon... with Tomoya-kun... just the two of us?"

The look on Kyou's face right at this moment... was something that I don't think I've ever seen her make. There was confusion and utter shock written all over her face… and, if I didn't know any better, I thought I saw, for a brief instant… pain.

"Wait, you mean..." Kyou's confused smirk soon morphed into a mischievous grin. "...like a date?"

Upon hearing that, the two of us were blushing and immediately protested her dubious claims. "No! We're just hanging out, as friends."

"Yes, onee-chan, we're just hanging out... just as friends."

The look on Kyou's face said that she wasn't buying it. Not. One. Bit.

"...and you expect me to _believe_ that?"

"Why wouldn't you?"

"You two never hang out together! Especially by yourselves, either! I'm supposed to believe that there isn't _something_ going on between the two of you?"

"Look, I just want to talk with Ry... Fujibayashi about some personal matters."

Kyou kept glaring at me, obviously noticing the slight blunder that I had just made. "You were about to call her Ryou, weren't you? You've _never_ called my sister by her first name." Her eyes kept darting back and forth between Ryou and me. "Something _definitely_ happened when I left, didn't it?"

Ryou and I tossed a quick glance at each other before returning to meet Kyou's gaze.

"By the way onee-chan, where did you go earlier?"

"Oh, I just did a little grocery shopping. Mom and dad did mention that we were running a bit low on some food." Huh, wasn't that convenient? "Of course, I volunteered so that you wouldn't have to worry about it." She planned this from the _very_ beginning... that didn't surprise me one bit. The smile that Kyou was putting forth right now certainly wasn't convincing me.

"Oh, you still haven't answered my question, have you?" I was hoping she would forget about it or let the whole matter drop entirely. Hope is wasted on the hopeless, as the saying goes.

"We just... talked for a bit, right, Fujibayashi?"

"Yes, To-... Okazaki-kun and I just had a small conversation, that's all." Kyou definitely noticed the blunder that her younger sister made, but she chose to remain quiet, probably out of courtesy. But then again, I spoke too soon, as Kyou was grinning at us both now.

"And that wasn't enough talk for the two of you?"

Ryou was blushing at her older sister's accusatory question. I gave the logical explanation that would have made sense to clarify the matter. "Her bus arrived. It got cut short, unfortunately. I was hoping to continue it tomorrow."

"Well, our mom and dad shouldn't have a problem with this. Me, on the other hand..." I didn't like the sound of this... "I'll allow Ryou to go... on one condition."

"Which is?..."

"You have to officially call it a date." If Ryou wasn't blushing furiously before, she definitely was now. I don't think her blush from earlier ever faded away to begin with, so it most likely intensified from her older sister's proposition.

"Is that okay with you?" Turning to eye the younger Fujibayashi, my question came out as a whisper to Ryou once more. She turned towards me and smiled.

"Yes, if you don't mind... Tomoya-kun." I guess at this point, Ryou didn't even care to hide the fact that she was addressing me by my first name now. Well, if the shy and meek Ryou Fujibayashi could muster that much courage up to be able to do that, I should be able to do the same as well.

"Well, guess I'm going on a date... with Ryou then."

"That settles that, then. Me and Ryou will be heading inside now. 'night, Tomoya." Abruptly dragging her younger sister by her right arm, Kyou was slowly pulling Ryou inside of her house.

"'night, Kyou."

"Oh yeah, one more thing..." Stopping midstep before suddenly turning around towards me, Kyou had a stern, piercing looking on her face.

"Yeah?"

"If you try anything _perverted_ on my little sister, I'll personally _kill_ you... with my _bare hands_."

"I find your lack of faith disturbing." **[2] **I simply gave her a dry look, total disbelief settling into me as I couldn't fathom that Kyou honestly thought I would try something like that. She was probably kidding, but still...

"Tomoya-kun would never do such a thing, onee-chan!" I couldn't help but stare at Ryou wide-eyed at her sudden outburst. There was a pleading desperation to her voice that made me feel really sad. It was most likely a joke on Kyou's end, but Ryou probably took it personally, far more than I did, anyway.

"Fine, fine, I won't do anything of that sort of nature."

"Good." There was a smug grin on her face now. "Ryou, I'll meet you inside, okay?" The younger sister merely nodded at her question.

"I'm sorry about what onee-chan said to you earlier."

"It's okay, don't worry about it. Your sister has a pretty... morbid sense of humor, sometimes." I took a step forward and gently wrapped both of my arms around Ryou's body. I heard a small but audible gasp escape from her mouth. She was definitely surprised by this... rather bold move of mine.

"Tomoya-kun?"

"Thanks... for believing in a guy like me."

"Somebody has to stand up for you if you won't, right?"

"Yeah, you have a point there." I could feel Ryou's arms slowly wrapping themselves around my waist as our bodies pressed together gently.

"I... I know... that you would never do anything like that. You're a good person, Tomoya-kun."

"I'm surprised that you have so much faith in me."

"We're... friends, remember?"

"Yeah... friends." Much to my surprise, I noticed that the front door to the Fujibayashi house was slightly ajar, with amethyst eyes peering out at the two of us. "Kyou!" At the mention of her older sister, Ryou turned her head around towards the door, quietly shrieking at the sight of her older sister. Her grasp on my body only tightened harder as she quickly turned her head back towards me, her right cheek now pressed up against my chest.

"My, my, aren't you two getting quite _intimate_ there, huh?" This entire scene had been one big joke to her, hasn't it? And I didn't like the way how she emphasized the word _intimate_. It wasn't like Ryou and I were lovers. "I thought Ryou would come in soon after I did. Didn't expect to see you two... _hugging_ each other like that."

"What, two friends can't hug each other now?"

"Friend... you keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means, Tomoya." **[3]**

"I guess we'll continue this tomorrow then, Ryou." I softly whispered into her ears.

"It's okay. I'm looking forward to it." The two of us detached ourselves from our embrace as Ryou slowly walked towards the front door.

"Good night... Tomoya-kun."

"Yeah, good night to you, too." I waved goodbye to Ryou as she did the same for me. And with that, I began my silent trek towards the Furukawa Bakery. There were several things that I wanted to talk with Ryou about, but I wanted to wait until I had an opportunity where I wasn't under the constraints of time. Hopefully, if everything goes the way I hope it does tomorrow, I'll finally get my chance.

The night was silent, nothing and no one out on the streets. I could only hear the sound of my own footsteps, a faint pattering coming from my shoes. The streets were only kept lit by the street lamps, each separated by minutes of walking. They were my only source of light for me through the darkness. Considering how deathly silent everything was, I had this thought of something popping out from nowhere to scare me. Suddenly, I heard some rustling somewhere in the trees as my eyes tried to scan my surroundings, trying to locate the source. My heart was steadily pounding, wondering who or what it could be. Much to my surprise, there was this mysterious white... cat? I think it was a cat... it was some kind of feline creature. It definitely wasn't a _normal_ cat, if that huge bushy tail is any indication. It was just sitting on top of a tree branch that I walking past. The moment I laid eyes on its hauntingly unsettling crimson eyes, my entire body just froze for a moment. There was definitely something... not right about this creature. I could sense... an otherworldly presence about it. This mysterious white animal had two distinct ears as well as two tendrils protruding from them as well. There were two golden rings along the tips of its antlers that were somehow floating, like a magnet. The two of us just kept staring at each other, a staring contest unknowingly ensuing. After what felt like several minutes having gone by, my eyes were beginning to squint at the little creature. Without realizing it, my eyes instantaneously blinked. I never thought that I would find myself staring at an animal for this long. The creature just kept staring back at me, unflinching and unmoving. It was starting to really freak me out as this continued on. My eyes were starting to dry up from the lack of blinking on my end, slowly squinting at the sight of this creature before me. Several seconds later, the mysterious white feline blinked once at me. I was taken aback, having to blink my eyes several times to make sure I wasn't hallucinating. The creature turned its head away from me and rose up on all four of its legs. It jumped off of the tree, scurrying off into the darkness of the night. I couldn't help but think… that was a bizarre encounter, to say the least. **[4]**

Be careful what you wish for, eh?

With the sun long gone, the outside air was cooler than before. A quiet breeze blew through the leaves of the oak trees that were off to side of the road I was walking on. I slowly made my way down the sloping and curving street, a familiar intersection now coming into my line of sight. I was getting closer and closer to Nagisa's home. Nagisa Furukawa... despite being a senior like me, Sunohara, Kyou, Ryou, and Kotomi, she was 19 years old, a year older than the rest of us. Due to her frail health, she was absent to the point where she missed most of her school days. As a result, she was forced to repeat her third year again and whatever few friends she was able to make had graduated by now. She was all alone by the time this semester had started, until I found myself drawn towards her. I still remember the depressingly pitiful sight of her eating anpan all by herself in the courtyard. I didn't think that anyone else in our school could be that lonely. My mind couldn't help but worry about her... for some strange reason. The two of us talked for a bit, and that was how I knew about her situation about being a repeater.

And just like this very night, I stopped by her home one night, partly out of sheer boredom and partly... to avoid going home to my father. I still remember the moment I laid eyes on Nagisa's mother, Sanae Furukawa for the very first time. Of course, I didn't think she was her mother, given her youthful appearance. I had wrongly assumed that Sanae was her older sister. It didn't help that she only looked a few years older than Nagisa herself. She offered me some of her bread, which at the time, I didn't know how... bad they tasted. I offered her the blunt truth, which she didn't take so well. She left the bakery in tears as I stared in disbelief. Before I knew it, her husband and Nagisa's father, Akio Furukawa came out of nowhere, yelling, scolding me for insulting his wife's bread. If I had to describe him, I would say that he was an abrasively loud and overly dramatic person. It wasn't until he noticed the Hikarizaki school emblem on the arm of my blazer that he realized that I was possibly someone that Nagisa knew from school.

The four of us shared a small dinner that one night, as I slowly came to realize just how... bizarre the Furukawa family really is. And yet, I couldn't help but feel a little envious of them. I never knew... that such a close-knit family could still exist in today's world.

I couldn't help but smile at that thought. Those three were a tight-knit family, each loving the other earnestly. My mind continued to ponder, my legs subconsciously driving me towards my destination. Before I even knew it, the sight of the Furukawa Bakery, of the place where Nagisa lived, was becoming more and more visible as I came approaching from the east. The bakery was a small, two-story building. Besides serving bread to customers, it also served as the home of the Furukawa family, which was located behind and on top of the bakery itself. The building itself is located near a park, where Akio tends to play baseball with the neighborhood kids. Needless to say, the bakery is a quaint place.

I was merely a few steps away from the front door to the bakery, but I decided to stop. I felt a little nervous coming all the way out here... just to see Nagisa. But it would be cowardly of me to turn back now after coming this far. I took a quick glance at the digital watch on my left wrist.

Nineteen forty-seven. Seven forty-seven in the evening.

...My right hand reached for the edge of the door and slid it open to the right.

* * *

><p>My eyes snapped open immediately. I woke up, startled and slightly sweating. I slowly wiped some of the sweat on my forehead away using my pajama sleeves. Realizing that I was alone in my room, lying on my futon, still recovering from this fever of mine, I gazed at the ceiling, wondering what all of my friends were doing right now. But there was one person that I couldn't stop thinking about right now. Tomoya Okazaki… I wonder… what was he doing right now? I haven't told anyone, not my parents, not my friends, not even Tomoya himself, just how much I've grown to care about him. My life has never been the same the moment I first laid eyes on him back at the bottom of the hill. I consider Tomoya to be my best friend, one who I deeply cherished from the bottom of my heart. But, I don't know… if these feelings that I have for him could be described as love… I can't say that I have ever been in love with anyone at all, at least... on a romantic level. The love that you share with your family doesn't count, since that's different, I know. I-If I really am in love with Tomoya, what kind of love was it exactly? Was it the love that one has for a friend… or was it the love that one has… for a lover? I was just happy simply being near him. His presence was all I needed in order to smile freely. It wasn't that I couldn't smile freely when I was around my friends and family, but Tomoya was different somehow. I couldn't really explain it, but there was this certain warmness that I felt only when I'm around him. I wonder where he was right now. He was probably at home or maybe at Sunohara's apartment. I couldn't help but wonder about the possibilities.<p>

I lay back down on my futon once more, reveling in the silence that was now in my room. I wonder what mom and dad were doing right now. Things were a little too quiet. I decided to close my eyes, so that my ears could focus a little better. Everything was now dark. I thought I heard the front door open, but maybe I was imagining things. I turned my head towards the clock hanging on the wall near the window.

It was seven forty-seven.

There couldn't possibly be any customers coming in at this time. Most of the people who came to our bakery to buy bread usually do it in the morning or afternoon. We rarely get customers in the evening. I couldn't help but wonder who might be at our bakery at this time. I stood up and quietly made my way to the door and slowly slid open the door, just enough so that my ears could hear what was going on downstairs.

"Hello, anybody here?" No, it couldn't be... was it really…?

"Oh my, it's Tomoya-san. What brings you over here to our house at this time of the night?" The moment I heard my mom call his name out, my cheeks were burning. W-why would Tomoya-kun come see me tonight?

"Uh, I came to see Nagisa… see how she's doing. Is her fever improving?"

"We'll go check on her for you. Stay here, okay?"

"Yeah, got it."

As soon as the conversation between Tomoya and my parents abruptly ended, I closed the door shut and I hurriedly made my way back to my futon. I still couldn't believe Tomoya... came all this way... just to see me, but I was grateful, so grateful. I closed my eyes once more as I smiled for Tomoya's kindness.

"Oh, you're awake, Nagisa." I heard my mom's voice calling out to me. My eyes snapped open as I gazed up at her. She smiled at me as I returned an embarrassed smile of my own, not realizing that by waking up to begin with, my mom knew that I wasn't sleeping anymore. She had a way of knowing things like that. It must've been motherly instinct. My dad shortly appeared right next to her, grinning hugely at seeing me awake.

"Yes, I just woke up several moments ago. If you don't mind me asking, are you two just checking up on me? I thought I heard our front door opening."

"Well, you heard right, Nagisa. A little somebody has dropped by to say hello. Hey kid, get your ass up here, why don't you?"

"Okay, okay, I'm coming." I could hear Tomoya's voice coming from down the stairways. His footsteps were becoming more audible to my ears. I could feel my own heartbeat slowly quickening. Was Tomoya... really here in my house? I heard his voice, but I needed to see him in person to make sure that my ears weren't deceiving me. My question was immediately answered upon seeing him standing in the doorway next to mom and dad. I felt a huge sense of relief wash over my entire body.

"Well, I'll leave you two lovebirds alone…" My dad suddenly paused for a short moment before starting back up again. "Wait, what the hell am I saying?! Gah!" Upon hearing dad making that comment, a small blush formed on my face as my eyes diverted from their gaze at towards my futon, my hands clutching onto the sheets.

"Akio-san, let the two of them talk for a bit, okay?"

"Fine. Scream if you need anything, Nagisa." I merely nodded my head meekly without looking back up at the three of them.

"I don't think it's going to come to that." There was a nonchalant air to Tomoya's voice as he gave his answer.

"It better not." Despite the fact that Tomoya and my dad tend to bicker quite often, I think those two are a lot alike in many ways. My parents gently slid the door shut behind them, leaving Tomoya and me... alone...

"Good evening, Okazaki-san. What brings you over here right now? Was there... something you needed?" There was no way that Tomoya came all this way to see me, right? That was what I found myself asking as a part of me was still in complete disbelief that Tomoya was really here, in my house... in my _room_. Common sense would tell me that the only reason he would be over here right now was to see me, but my heart couldn't believe the idea.

"I just… wanted to see how you were doing. I was a little worried about you."

"R-really?" My eyes lit up at his response as I could feel the rhythm of my heartbeat gradually quickening little by little. "Thank you…Okazaki-san. I think I'll be all right. It's just a slight fever, that's all. I should be back at school in a day or two. But, thank you… for worrying about me."

"It's no problem." A strange awkward silence soon engulfed the both of us. As my right hand slowly reached up to my chest, I put the tips of my middle and index fingers to my heart. I felt its heartbeat hadn't slowed down one bit. Tomoya's voice broke me out of my thoughts. "Out of curiosity, what were you doing before I got here? Sleeping?"

"Yeah, pretty much. But, I did wake up about twenty minutes before you arrived here."

"Do anything special?"

"Well, I… just sat here... and thought about things."

"What kind of things?"

"…everything. I wonder if we'll be able to revive the Drama Club."

"I know we will. Please, don't give up, Nagisa."

"I have no intentions of giving up, Okazaki-san. Not after coming this far. It's just… I can't help but have some doubts about all of this. I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize. There's nothing for you to be sorry about. It's okay… to feel a little worried. It's natural."

"Really?" Tomoya simply nodded his head at my question. "You know, I don't think I would've been able to get this far… if it weren't for you… and everyone else."

"Don't forget about yourself as well. All of us are helping _you_ out. It's your dream to get this club back on its feet once more. That's what friends are for, right?"

"Mhmm." Friends... "Okazaki-san?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm really glad that I met you. If I hadn't, then I wouldn't have met everyone else. Senior year would've been the same as last year's."

"Last year? Now that you mentioned it, you never really told me what your third year was like the first time around."

I couldn't help but think back to how my third year was like the first time around. A small frown was slowly creeping up onto my face. Tomoya must have noticed it.

"I... had a hard time... making new friends, at first. I was so shy. I couldn't muster up the will to talk. I...eventually did, though. I even made a few new friends, too. But...I don't think I could've done it..." My frown was slowly becoming a smile, as I began to think back on the one thing that inspired me. "...if it weren't for the fact that I had some help."

"Help? From who?" Tomoya is probably curious that I was now smiling all of a sudden. I wonder how he would react if I were to tell him...

"Well...promise me that you won't think it's weird, okay?" Tomoya just silently nodded his head at my question.

"Well, last year, while I was about to leave the school grounds, there was this big ball out at the front, with a string attached to it. There was a note attached to it saying to pull it. Thinking back on that day, I think most people knew that it was a prank that some of the upperclassmen were playing. But, I got curious... and decided to pull it." My face was flushed with embarrassment, worrying how Tomoya will react to this story. My eyes turned towards Tomoya's face. Much to my surprise, there was a small but noticeable blush on his face as well. Was Tomoya trying not to laugh at this...or was it something else?

"Okazaki-san?" I couldn't help but ask him, curiosity getting the better of me.

"Oh, yeah, Nagisa?"

"You're blushing." A tiny smile crept onto my face as I tried to reassure him that I was only merely pointing out something I saw. Tomoya was now breaking eye contact from me as he looked off to the side, his blushing gradually growing. The silence was beginning to grow between us. Does Tomoya...know something that I don't?

"I...uh..." He was definitely nervous about something. Was it related to the story I just mentioned? "Do you mind...if I asked you something?"

"Um... sure." I slowly nodded my head. The way that Tomoya phrased his question...it sounded like...no, wait, he couldn't be...confessing to me, could he? The moment that thought entered my mind, my blush exploded. I felt so lightheaded and dizzy. I almost lost my composure as my body was about to slowly fall back onto my futon once more, but Tomoya lunged out and grabbed my right hand with his. It was all so sudden, I didn't have time to react at all. The two of us were just staring at each other, our eyes simply staring into one another. Mine into his indigo, and his into my auburn. I didn't know how long we were in that position, but it still felt far too short. It was a fleeting moment that I wanted to last a little longer. Tomoya broke us out of this enchantment.

"Are you okay, Nagisa? You want me to get your mom and dad?"

"I-I'm okay. I just felt a little dizzy, that's all." I didn't want to worry Tomoya or my parents. Regardless, Tomoya didn't seem convinced.

"I'll go talk with your parents for a bit. Maybe I can get you something to eat while I'm up, too. Want anything?"

"I think some miso soup would be fine by me. Tell me when it's ready, okay, Okazaki-san?"

"Yeah, will do."

"Tomoya?-..." Without realizing it, I called out his name...his _first_ name. Both of my hands immediately went to cover my mouth, my face entirely flushed from my mistake. He turned his attention towards me once more, silently staring at me. I slowly dropped my hands back into my lap, unable to look at Tomoya any further. Did he noticed the error that I had made? I spent a few moments in silence, wondering what was going through his mind right now. I knew that it was kinda pointless to ponder about something that I wouldn't know for certain, so I took a slow and deep breathe before working up the nerve to stare at him straight in the eye with an embarrassed but warm smile. "...Thank you."

I was greeted with a small and gentle smile from Tomoya. "Anything for a friend."

I softly closed the door behind me as I slowly made my way down the stairs. Upon hitting the last step, I stopped for a moment to think. Nagisa...she called me by my first name. She's _never_ done that before. She's always called me by "Okazaki-san" since the moment we first introduced each other. I knew something was up the moment I turned around and saw her blushing like that, her eyes remaining fixed towards her lap. I couldn't resist the urge to grin at the fact that she made such a carelessly cute mistake like that. I managed to hold it in for the past several moments for Nagisa's sake, but since I'm not within her presence anymore, my lips couldn't help but turn upward in amusement. I guess I was able to find a moment of weakness within her if she managed to let that one slip up.

Realizing that I was staring off into space like usual, my mind focused on the current task at hand. Where exactly were Sanae and Akio right now anyway? I stared ahead to the sight in front of me, the store front of the bakery. I didn't hear any talking out at the front, so they probably weren't there. I decided to head down the hallway past the stairs. I found myself in the kitchen, where Sanae was clearly trying to bake some bread and Akio cleaning up some mess nearby.

"Hey kid, something you needed?"

"Yeah, Nagisa said that she wanted some miso soup. She was...feeling a little dizzy earlier. She almost fainted on me, too."

"Oh, dear..."

"She said she's fine now, but I'm a little worried."

"We'll get started on it. You go wait in her room, okay?" I complied with Sanae's request, silently nodding my head, as I made my way back into Nagisa's room.

"Hey, I'm back." When I slid open the door, I noticed that Nagisa had fallen asleep. I slowly walked over next to her futon and gently nudged her awake. She immediately sprang up, startled and blushing.

"I-I wasn't sleeping...I was just...resting my eyes, that's all."

"Uh...huh. You panic too easily, you know?" I placed the palm of my right hand on top of her head, my fingers running through her soft auburn hair.

"Okazaki-san?" She was clearly blushing at my abrupt action, but I didn't care if she wanted me to stop. There was something...relaxing about this. Her eyes looked up at me, pleading for an answer. I was starting to feel a little guilty, so my hand left the top of her head.

"Sorry about that. I was having too much fun there." There was a teasingly playfulness in my voice that I just couldn't contain, and I'm pretty sure Nagisa noticed it as well, as she returned a radiant smile full of embarrassed glee.

"I'm not your pet, Okazaki-san!" She was clearly enjoying this, too. A quiet, subdued giggle from her mouth told me so.

"But if you were?"

"W-w-well, you would have to...take care of me, wouldn't you?"

"Yeah...I...would..."

"You would...have to feed me, too, you know?" Upon hearing that, my face lit up, a burning sensation that I could feel across my entire face. Did Nagisa...really want me to feed her the miso soup that her parents were preparing right now? Was that what she hinting at with the pet metaphor? If she did, she wasn't exactly being subtle about it. This conversation took a nosedive into awkwardness so fast. Luckily, Sanae and Akio walked in with her dinner. I thought their timing was convenient, perhaps a little _too_ convenient. Were they eavesdropping on our conversation?

"Well, here's your soup, Nagisa. Eat up." Sanae was holding the steaming bowl of miso while Akio was standing next to her.

"Wait, I'm not going to eat in the living room?"

"Well, Tomoya-san mentioned that you almost fainted earlier. I think we'll make an exception this one time and let you eat in your room. Akio-san, could you get the chabudai **[5]** out for Nagisa?" The old man silently left for a moment and returned carrying the table in his arms. He had to tilt it to the side to get the table through the door first. He quietly placed it next to Nagisa's futon so that she wouldn't have to move around so much. Sanae placed the bowl of miso soup onto the chabudai before heading out towards the door once more. I don't know if I was imaging things or not, but I thought I saw Sanae give me a quick wink in my direction.

"Take your time, okay, Nagisa? There's no need to rush your dinner."

"Okay, I got it, mom." And with that, the two parents had gone back downstairs.

"Hey, Nagisa?"

"Yes, Okazaki-san?"

"You really want me to feed you?" A mischievous grin was plastered on my face.

"I-I was just kidding. You usually tease me, so I thought...I could try teasing you back."

"You know..." I felt embarrassed as I was admitting this, but a part of me really wanted to give this a shot, out of...natural curiosity. "...I don't mind at all. I've got nothing else to do besides talk with you. I might as well make myself useful somehow."

Nagisa was blushing at my suggestion. "I-I can't ask that from you! It would be...too embarrassing. What if mom and dad walk in on us?"

"I'll just continue feeding you. It's not like I'm doing anything criminal, right?" I merely shrugged my shoulders in indifference.

"I...guess so, but still..."

"Well, if you don't want me to, then I won't force you."

"...okay." It was a quiet response, born out of resignation. Her response came after several moments of silence between the two of us. She was most likely debating in her head whether or not she wanted to go through with this. I guess I was able to convince Nagisa to try this, even if it might embarrass us both. "Thank you, Okazaki-san."

The two of us ate in silence as I slowly held up a spoonful of the miso up to Nagisa's mouth. I had to work at a slow pace so that I wouldn't accidentally spill any of the soup. She leaned forward a bit, taking the side of the spoon to her lips, quietly sipping away the miso soup into her mouth. The process repeated itself for about half an hour. During that time, the two of us couldn't help but feel slightly awkward around each other. Both of our faces were blushing. We broke eye contact with each other the moment one of us looked into the other person's eyes. And yet, at the same time, neither of us cared. Even though there wasn't a spoken word between the two of us, I believe Nagisa and I both found comfort within this surreal silence. There was something...oddly nostalgic about this. The ticking clock on the wall marked each second that passing by between Nagisa and me. It was a constant reminder that time was still moving, unrelenting, merciless, regardless as to how my mind might perceive the world around me. I knew this moment wouldn't last forever. Happy moments like these...never do.

Eventually, I noticed that the bowl was more or less empty. "Well, I guess that's dinner."

"Thank you, Okazaki-san. I don't...know how to thank you."

"Hey, don't worry about it. I just wanted to help. You should probably go to sleep early tonight. You need to get better soon. Everyone's missed having you at school."

"Even you?" Her question brought a tiny blush onto my face. I broke eye contact for a few short seconds before meeting her gaze once more, smiling all the while.

"Yeah, even me."

"Okay, I'll try to get better quick." There was a bright smile on her face.

"I should get going, then. I don't want to keep you up for too long. Good night, Nagisa."

"Good night to you too, Okazaki-san. I'll be...thinking about you...before I go to sleep tonight."

"I'll...uh...I'll be thinking of you, too, Nagisa." As I grabbed the door to leave, I hesitated for a bit. I thought back to earlier, when Nagisa was recounting that one embarrassing moment from last year. It...was a prank that Sunohara and I had set for the underclassmen. Hearing Nagisa talk about the incident, that she was the one who fell victim to our stupid joke, it made me feel a little guilty. And yet, I couldn't help but smile at that fond memory. Maybe the two of us...were destined to meet.

"Okazaki-san, what's wrong?" Nagisa's voice broke me out of my reverie. I guess I was just standing there, staring off into space for a little too long. I turned my head over my right shoulder to face her.

"Oh, sorry. I was just thinking about something."

"About what?" I wonder if Nagisa will figure out what I'm about to admit here. I took in a deep breath, inhaling as much air as I could as I closed my eyes. Slowly exhaling, I slowly opened my eyes, my entire body now facing Nagisa again, my eyes peering right at her. Here goes nothing...

"Don't... don't give in to the hardships ahead of you." **[6]** My smile was sincere, plain and simple. I heard a tiny gasp escape from Nagisa's mouth as both of her hands slowly went to cover her lips, a huge blush forming across her face. That...was definitely the reaction I was hoping for. I guess that means...she really does remember...the message I gave her last year. I couldn't help but grin at the amusing sight before me. I slowly waved goodbye before I gently slid the door behind me and headed down the stairs. I went into the kitchen and told Sanae and Akio I was going home for the night.

"All right, kid. Good night to you, too. And thanks for stopping by for Nagisa's sake."

"Yes, Tomoya-san. Akio-san and I really appreciated you checking up on Nagisa. It's great to know that you care about her so much."

"It's nothing, really. I'm just trying to be a good friend, that's all."

"Well, no matter how you phrase it, Sanae and I are still grateful, nonetheless. Come back soon, okay?"

"Yeah, will do."

"Here, take this." Akio produced a bag of bread in front of him. I gave him an incredulously terrified look, wondering whose baked the bread. Understanding what my facial expression meant, he reassured me that it was his bread.

"Don't worry. It doesn't have any of Sanae's crap-" Realizing the terrible error that he just made, Akio's face now mirrored my own. I peered over to see Sanae's face. Unsurprisingly, she was beginning to tear up, which eventually built up into a quiet sobbing. The sight of Nagisa's mom crying always makes me feel a little guilty.

"Y-you think..." This wasn't going to end well. Akio was now facing her with a terrified expression on his face. He...brought it upon himself, like always. "...my bread..."

"...is _crap_? !" Sanae was already sprinting out of the bakery by the time she finished yelling her question out loud, sobbing loudly with her hands cradling her face. I'm surprised she can sprint that much without so much as bumping or crashing into anything. As usual, Akio was about to give chase to her.

"Dammit, is she seriously sprinting off into the night?" He grabbed some of Sanae's bread from the store counter and stuffed a handful of them into his mouth. "I love you, Sanae!" At least, I _think_ that's what he said. I can't say for certain, considering how his voice was slightly muffled by the food in his mouth. Where those two have ran off to, I really don't know, especially at this time of the night. This definitely wasn't the first time that I had seen this similar sight before. Sanae's bread wasn't exactly what you would call edible, so her bread is usually the one that remains unsold. It's an unspoken rule around the neighborhood here that no one is allowed to say anything bad about whatever Sanae makes, or else...well, you already know. Akio usually slips up and breaks this rule every once in a while, though. A part of me wondered whether or not I was suppose to take any of that seriously, though. The more and more I saw those two overreact like that, the more and more I thought it was some strange comedy routine. I usually stay silent to avoid adding fuel to the fire, staring on in quiet disbelief. I don't think I'm ever going to get used to it, though. Still, at least all of that means...they really care for each other.

Realizing that I was staring off into space again, I made my way down the hallway before reaching the side door of the bakery. I hope Sanae and Akio weren't gone for too long, considering that Nagisa was now all by herself at the moment. I seriously didn't want to leave her alone right now, but I had to get home. I slipped my shoes on before opening the door to leave. I felt the cool spring wind brush against my face as I walked into the night once again. Realizing that I haven't exactly eaten dinner yet, I grab a piece of bread from the bag I was holding in my left hand. I took a big bite out of it, savoring the flavor and taste. I munched down the rest of the bread in seconds, not realizing just how hungry I had become.

"It'd be nice if Sanae's bread could taste this good." I quietly lamented under my breath, a bemused smile appearing on my face.

I grabbed a croissant and began chewing on it, wondering if I could finish this entire bag of bread before I made it back to my home... back to my father.

...It was worth a shot, I suppose. I might have to walk a little slower, though...

* * *

><p>I sat there on my futon, staring up into the ceiling. I waited about five minutes, to make sure that Tomoya was definitely gone. As soon as I felt confident that he was surely gone, I made my way out of my futon again and towards the closet. I had to rummage through a lot of old things that have been crammed in here over the years, but eventually, I found what I was searching for: a small rectangular wooden box.<p>

"There it is." I sighed in relief, fearing the worst that I had lost this forever. I gently picked up the box and carried it out of the closet. I retreated back to my futon, carrying the box in hand. Sitting back down, I opened the latch and lifted the lid, revealing the paper banner from the year before. I unfolded the banner in order to read the entire message again.

"Tomoya..." I sat there, as something welled up inside me. I was on the verge of crying right then and there. But it wasn't tears of sadness that I was about to shed, but of joy. A small smile formed on my lips. "He's...been there...he always has...since the very beginning...long before we even met." My voice came out as a soft whisper as I struggled to form words between my tears. My life was forever changed when Tomoya first spoke to me on the bottom of the hill leading up to the school. But it wasn't until Tomoya spoke those words to me earlier, about how I shouldn't give in to the hardships ahead, I knew...right then and there, _he_ was the one who wrote the message. I was in total shock when I heard him confess that to me. I wanted to say something, anything back to him, to let him know how grateful I am for his words, but the revelation paralyzed me before I was given the chance to speak up. Tomoya had already left, but I could've stopped him, if only I had said something to make him stay, even if it was only for a minute or a second or a moment. A part just wanted to hug him tight and close, never wanting to let go, never wanting to be separated from him ever again.

Tears were now beginning to stream down my cheeks. The brief smile I had earlier was now beginning to fade into a frown. Could Tomoya...ever love...a person like me?

"I don't know...how I really feel about you. I'm scared...so very scared...of these feelings that I have for you..." With each spoken word aloud, it gradually became harder...and more painful for me to speak. "Every time you're nice to me...a part of me...is thankful...and another part...is afraid...always afraid of your kindness. I...I might get...the wrong idea...about how you feel about me...every time you show me generosity. Regardless, either as a friend...or a lover...I...I love you...Tomoya. Even if...you go on to love...someone else, someone...more worthy of your love...I'll...never...forget you."

My silent crying suddenly erupted into a sobbing roar, tears pouring out from me, burning my eyes, burning my cheeks, but I didn't care. It would be far more torturous to keep those words bottled up inside of me. I wanted to let all my emotions out right now, when no one was around to see me in such a pitiful state. The last thing that I would ever want was to worry my family and friends over something like this. Quickly realizing that my sudden outburst might alarm mom and dad, I brought the sheets of my futon to my face, to muffle the sound of my mouth and to wipe away my tears. I stayed like that for a few short moments, until I had calmed down a little. I slowly brought the sheets back down into my lap.

"I...I have to be strong...for everyone."

I stood up and reached for the lamp hanging on the ceiling in the middle of the room. I pulled the string as the lights disappeared, the outside moon the only thing that vaguely kept my room alit. I laid back down on my futon, staring at the ceiling.

"I wonder...what kind of girl...Tomoya likes." I thought about what I had just said aloud. I don't think I personally suit Tomoya...as a lover at all. I'm the one who depends on him so much. Could Tomoya...ever say the same...about me? Could he...ever come to rely on me...the way I have come to rely on him?

I thought about all of my other friends...who most likely had feelings for Tomoya as well. Kotomi-chan...Ryou-chan...Kyou-chan...There was also Sakagami-san to consider as well. I might not know her as well as Tomoya and Sunohara-san does, but I'm sure...she has feelings for Tomoya as well. Kotomi-chan has known Tomoya the longest. Ryou-chan and Kyou-chan have known him for at least a year now. The only one who doesn't know Tomoya for as long as I have as Sakagami-san herself. All of them have qualities that I don't possess. Kotomi-chan is the smartest girl in the entire school, with Sakagami-san not too far behind. Kyou-chan gets along with Tomoya very well. Ryou-chan is a very kind and nurturing person. Both Kyou-chan and Sakagami-san were very physically strong, too. Me...how am I supposed to measure up to all of them? I'm not the strongest...or the smartest...They're all suited to Tomoya far better than I could ever hope to achieve...But even so, is it...wrong to be selfish? I...I don't want to lose Tomoya at all. I don't want to be separated from him.

I was beginning to feel a little drowsy, either from my lingering fever or from my earlier crying. Perhaps, it was a little of both. Either way, the ceiling was starting to becoming blurry, as my mind was drifting into slumber, my eyelids slowly closing. With the last ounce of strength that my mind could muster, I whispered out loud...

"...Good night...Tomoya...kun...please...stay...with me...always."

* * *

><p><em>Well, that's the end of chapter 4. If you actually made it to the end of this chapter, then I salute you for being able to put up with my story for this long. If it's not asking too much, any kind of feedback, be it pointing out spellinggrammar mistakes, suggestions, or just your thoughts and feelings on this chapter, anything would be great. All I ask is that you remain civil and keep things constructive. That's all. ^_^'_

_Remember to check my profile page every day to see how much progress I have made on the next chapter. It will go up the moment that number hits 100%. _

_And don't worry, I'm never going to drop this story, so long as there is continued interest from readers for my fanfic. For personal reasons, I want to see this story through to the very end, even if it takes a long time to get there..._

_Footnotes__:_

**[1]** - A reference to Saizo Ato, a character from the 2009 Production I.G / Kenji Kamiyama-directed anime series _**Eden of the East**_. Hmm...

**[2]** - A reference to the 1977 George Lucas-directed film _**Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope**_. It's from a famous scene where Vader is force-choking Admiral Motti**.**

**[3] -** A reference to the 1987 Rob Reiner-directed film _**The Princess Bride**_. It's from a famous scene where Inigo Montoya questions Vizzini's use of the word "inconceivable" after hearing it one too many times in without it meaning what it's suppose to mean.

**[4] - **A reference to a certain little creature from a certain 2011 Studio Shaft / Akiyuki Shinbo-directed anime series...What exactly does his presence mean in my story? Guess you'll just have to wait and see...

**[5] - **From Wikipedia: A **chabudai** (卓袱台?) is a short-legged table used in traditional Japanese homes. People seated at a chabudai may sit on _zabuton_ or _tatami_ rather than on chairs. The four legs of a chabudai are generally collapsible so that the table may be moved and stored easily. Chabudai are used for various purposes, such as a study table for children, a work bench for needlework, and most importantly, a dinner table for the entire family (_shokutaku_ (食卓、しょくたく?)). In the winter, the chabudai is often replaced by a kotatsu, another type of short-legged table equipped with a removable top and a heater underneath.

**[6]** - A reference to episode 23 of _**Clannad ~After Story~**_. It was the message that Tomoya wrote on that banner that fell out of that paper-mache ball that Tomoya and Sunohara built.


	5. Chapter 5

_6/17/2012__ (Last edited on 03/03/2014) – Happy Father's Day, everyone! ^_^ With that said…_

_Hello, people of FanFiction dot net. I'm back again with the next chapter of my very first fanfic. Thank you for all the reviews, everyone! (16 as of this chapter) ^_^ As the author of this story, I'm happy to see reviews being left behind. It motivates me to continue on with this story of mine. ^_^ For those who don't already know, I do personally respond to every single review that is left behind for my story. I figure that it's the least I can do as the author of this fanfic and communicate with my readers. Even though some of the character's personalities might/will be slightly altered for the sake of my fanfic, I'll try to remain faithful to their overall "spirit" that was portrayed in the anime series. _**Clannad**_ is my favorite anime series of all time, so I felt compelled to write a story of my own. I hope you enjoy it. And once again, any feedback that you can provide would be nice and very appreciated. ^_^ And with that, here is chapter 5: _

_Paragraphs in italics denote a flashback. Single words in italics / single words in regular print during a flashback denote emphasis and should be read as such.  
><span>Chapter rated T for<span>: Mild language and mild sexual themes.  
><span>Genre<span>: Comedy/Drama/Romance/Slice of Life  
><span>Pairing(s)<span>: None at the moment (Tomoya x Tomoyo/Kyou/Nagisa/Fuko/Kotomi/Ryou has been teased, though...)  
><span>Crossover(s)<span>: None at the moment..._

Author's Note #1: The entirety of this chapter takes place between 7:24 and 10:23 minutes of episode 18 of the first season. I've added some original scenes of my own before and after that for the sake of my fanfic.

Author's Note #2: Tomoya x ?, Sunohara x ?. The final pairing is still undecided. I'll consider feedback from people who have left a review on my story, but at the same time, I can't make any promises either. I've now included a poll on my profile page. You can go vote for your choice there. ;) As of this chapter, 5 votes for Harem, 3 votes for Tomoyo Sakagami, 1 vote for Ryou Fujibayashi. Interesting…

Author's Note #3: Perspectives will be jumping around quite a bit in this chapter. I'll make it easy for you: Kyou, Tomoyo, Kotomi, Tomoya

Author's Note#4: I'm not going to lie to you. I had some serious trouble writing this chapter…for some strange reason. It's partly the reason why it's taken this long for me to get it uploaded. It originally was going to be a longer chapter (in fact, the longest chapter I would've written so far), but I had to trim and axe several things in the editing and revising process. I'll probably re-insert some of those things back in some time in the future in future edits. Forgive me if certain parts of this chapter feels like it's missing stuff. If it does, then it means something was there to begin with...

Disclaimer: I do not own anything **_Clannad_**-related, even though I wished I did...And from here on out, I do not own any series/movies/video games that I might make references to or decide to make any crossovers with as well.

* * *

><p><strong><span>Clannad ~Different Days~<span>**

-The Everyday Arc-

_Vague Synopsis - It's not quite the same story that you might remember, even if it feels strangely familiar. A different world, different relationships, different events...different days..._

**Chapter 5 – A Man Possessed of Some Radical Notions, Part 1**

_The rain was cold, soaking my entire body. "Kyou…" I turned around slowly, my eyes huge, now aware of the presence of a certain guy. "…Tell me what's wrong." I stared at him in disbelief. _

_"What? Th-There's nothing wrong. Weren't you supposed to be on a date with Ryou right now?" I could tell that he could hear the stammer in my voice. _

_"Kyou, you're soaking wet." He pointed out the obvious to me, not wanting me to get sick from the water pouring down from the sky. He was always nice, too nice to me and everyone else, a blessing and curse in disguise. The two of us just stood there, staring at each other, not caring about the fact that we were soaking wet. He then began to walk towards me. _

_"Stay away." He stopped dead in his tracks, his gaze never leaving my body. "Please, just stay away. I... I mean, you don't have to worry about me. Just worry about Ryou. She's your girlfriend, not me."_

_"Who cares? You're still my friend and you're about to catch a cold." He kept walking forward towards me. _

_"Stop! I said no!" The volume of my voice became louder. I just wanted him to stay away from me, but he wouldn't. "Leave me alone! Just go away! Don't bother with me anymore, all right?" I turned to the right, my face now hidden from him, my gaze downcast towards the wet ground. _

_"Kyou, listen." _

_"Go away!" I pushed him away with my left hand, and slowly began to walk away from him in the opposite direction, the one where he had just come from. _

_"Hold on!" He instinctively grabbed my left wrist. _

_"Come on, stop it!" I struggled to break free from his grasp but to no avail. He positioned my body so that his was behind mine. Continuing to struggle for a few moments more, his arms embraced my body from behind. I could feel his chin now resting on the top of my head, wanting to shield her from the rain. My tears, however long they had lain dormant inside of me, finally came out in the open. _

_"Please, don't be nice to me anymore. I'm an idiot, all right? If you're nice to me, I'll get the wrong idea… I was afraid. I didn't wanna tell you how I felt. Because... If I told you I loved you, and you turned me down, then maybe we wouldn't be able to be friends anymore. But even if you did like me and we did go out, then it would just make Ryou miserable. That's why I thought it would be best if I just gave up on you. That way, at least nobody would get hurt. But now, I just regret it. Now I don't know what I want. I'm so stupid. This was all my decision in the first place..."_

_"Kyou... listen-" Before he could even continue, I interrupted him midsentence…_

_"Tomoya… I'm Kyou, all right? I'm not my sister. I'm not your girlfriend... You're too late. Goodbye, Tomoya."_

* * *

><p>"Onee-chan, it's time to wake up." I felt someone tugging at my arm as my eyes awoke from the darkness. It was Ryou who was trying to wake me up.<p>

"Huh, it's already 5 in the morning?"

"Yep." I turned my head to the drawer next to the bed and silently gazed at the clock resting on top. It was a few minutes past 5 AM.

"Ugh, I don't believe it. Okay, okay, I'm getting up." My voice was an annoyed groaning as I lazily got up from my bed, staring absentmindedly with my eyes still half-closed, half-opened.

"I'll be waiting downstairs in the kitchen, okay, onee-chan?"

"Yeah, I won't be long." I proceeded to the bathroom where I brushed my teeth. Filling the tip of my toothbrush with a blot of toothpaste, I filled a cup with water from the faucet. Taking the cup up to my lips, I rinsed my mouth with the water before proceeding to brush my teeth. I stared at the mirror that was in front of me, a dazed indifference evident on my face, but with a small trace of lingering sadness. I thought back to the dream that I had just awoken from. I didn't know what to make of that dream at all. Was that… what awaited me before this entire mess was over? Heartache and suffering? I closed my eyes defiantly, continuing to brush my teeth in silent frustration. I didn't want to believe things would eventually become that bad.

Or maybe I was lying to myself.

After spending a few minutes with that, I went back to my bed and laid down a bit. My little sister Ryou was going on a date with Tomoya. Okay, technically, it wasn't a real date, but it was the closest my sister had gotten, and that was good enough for me. For some reason that Tomoya hadn't told me yet, he needed to talk to Ryou about… something. I could only imagine… what that something could possibly be. My mind thought back on the moment that Tomoya shared with my sister last night after he dropped Ryou off back home. I had walked inside and was about to close the door, but curiosity stopped me at the last second, as I couldn't help but wonder what those two were going to talk about. Turning around swiftly, I kept the door slightly open with the gap small enough for me to be discreet and big enough for my eyes and ears to be able to witness the scene before me, my grip on the door firm but steady. My eyes widened the moment I saw those two embracing each other like that. I'll admit that those two rarely interacted with one another. They might exchange a few words here and there, but as terrible as I may sound here, Tomoya and my sister… weren't exactly the closest of friends. And yet, all of a sudden, I saw those two… willingly embrace one another. Now, I didn't mind if two friends simply embraced one another in a quick hug, but there was something… _different_ about the hug that my younger sister and Tomoya shared. I saw… a romantic subtext in their action. My mind couldn't help but wonder… what exactly happened when I left those two alone yesterday? I had to do a little grocery shopping for my parents, so I couldn't keep a watchful eye on them, but there was no way that something… _romantic_ happened between the two of them… _right_?

I felt happy and proud for her but there was also a sense… of jealousy growing inside of me. I felt uneasy; Ryou was my sister. I couldn't be jealous of her. I _shouldn't_ be jealous of her. Confliction was starting to pervade my thoughts, but I didn't want anyone else to worry about me. I was the one who put aside my own feelings for Tomoya so that Ryou could pursue him herself. I shouldn't have any second thoughts about my decision at all, but…

Regret… was the very last thing that I wanted to feel.

To give in to my own self-doubt now would undermine all of my efforts so far. I couldn't let it all go to waste. My negative thoughts were brushed aside when Ryou came to my bedside. "Onee-chan, I thought you were awake."

"I… kinda dozed off again. Sorry about that." There was an exasperated understanding in my sister's smile as she gently pulled me out of bed. The two of us were walking down the stairs, with Ryou's left hand guiding me as my right hand held the wooden railing of the stairs. It was funny… how I was relying on Ryou right now, when she was the one who was usually relying on _me_ for support. It was times like these that I thought… maybe the two of us… weren't so very different at all.

"Did you not get enough sleep, onee-chan? Usually, you don't have any trouble getting up this early."

"Most likely not." It might have something to do with that…weird dream I had. I don't want to imagine what it could possibly mean…or foreshadow.

We got two aprons out from the pantry in the kitchen as we made our way over to the counter.

"Hehe, I'm ready, onee-chan."

"You think you'll have any luck today?" I don't want to brag or anything, but I was the superior cook between the two of us Fujibayashi sisters. Ryou…still had a long way to go, but I would like to believe that she's steadily improving bit by bit.

"Maybe. There's only one way to find out."

"Guess I'm gonna need to get a huge glass of water first…just in case." I couldn't help but grin, teasing my little sister like that.

"That's mean, onee-chan!"

"I only tease you because I care."

"I know, onee-chan, but still..."

"I'm sorry."

"No, I should apologize. I'm just...kind of sensitive about this. I've been trying my hardest to improve upon my cooking."

"I know that you are, really. That's why your big sister is here to help you, right?"

"Right."

* * *

><p>I woke up to the sound of my brother's voice. The comforter was still covering most of my body, keeping me cool and asleep. My brother was tugging at my left shoulder, trying to awake me from my slumber. Groggily looking up at my brother half-consciously, I yawned in tired exhaustion, my eyes still trying to straighten the sight of Takafumi from its blurry mess.<p>

"Hey, nee-chan, wake up."

"Is that you, Takafumi?"

"Of course, who else would it be?"

"Okay, I'm getting up now. I usually try to catch up on my sleep on Sundays, you know?"

"Mom and dad will be waiting for you downstairs, okay?"

"Yes, I got it, little brother."

I went to go brush my teeth. I soon headed downstairs shortly afterwards. The four of us were sitting at the table and ate our breakfast.

"Good morning, mom. Good morning, dad."

"Good morning, dear. When will you be leaving for Okazaki's house?"

"In about an hour or so. I'll probably eat something light before I go over to his house."

"How long will you be over there?" I heard a teasing tone in my father's voice.

"Most likely, all morning."

"Are you sure Okazaki isn't your boyfriend, nee-chan?" My younger brother's attempt at hiding his laugh was starting to prove fruitless. "I mean, you've been visiting his house every morning for the past several days now."

"Takafumi, he's just my friend, nothing more. I'm worried about him, that's all." I wonder if my brother could hear the growing irritation in my voice.

"Heh, I wish I had a friend who was as dedicated as you are, onee-chan."

"You know, you should bring over Okazaki-san some time. I would love to meet him, as would your father."

The four of us ate breakfast with the occasional chatter to break up the silence. When I finished, my mom told me to just leave the bento box where it was. I thanked her as I made my way back to my room and into the shower. I stripped myself of my clothes and underwear as I went inside the shower stall, opening and closing the door. I turned the knob for the hot water to come out of the shower head. Once the water really got hot, I turned the knob for the cold water to balance out the temperature. When I found a happy medium, I closed my eyes as I allowed the water to soak my entire body.

"Tomoya…" I didn't realize that I uttered his name under the pattering of the water, but I couldn't help but think about him right now. He was most likely sleeping at the moment. I grabbed the bottle of shampoo and squeezed some of it out. I lathered it into my long silver hair and allowed the water to slowly rinse my hair out. The soap suds trailed down my back and my legs. I grabbed some body wash and lathered it on my entire body, repeating the same process as before. I stayed in the shower for several more moments, letting the warm water ease my mind and body. I turned the water off and opened the door. I grabbed a nearby towel and wrapped it around my entire body. I went into the closet and grabbed a second towel to dry my hair out. I made my way towards my bed, gently sitting down. I grabbed the other towel in my hand and proceeded to slowly wring out the dampness in my hair. When I felt that my hair was a little less moist, I used the same towel to dry up any remaining water that was still lingering on my arms and legs. When that was done, I proceeded to unwrap the towel surrounding my chest and waist. My lithe body was now naked from head to toe, exposed to the cool air in my room. The air sent a chill down my spine that echoed throughout my entire being. I began to dress myself, slipping on my pair of white panties. As I slowly slipped my white bra on, the right strap lightly grazed an old scar that still hadn't completely healed over. My eyes turned to look at the upper part of my arm. There was a diagonal white line that was still clearly visible to my own sapphire eyes. I couldn't help but smile at the…awkward and unpleasant memory of how I got this scar to begin with.

"The 'time' that is not now… That which we call the future… Have I… found it? Has anything… really changed?" **[2]**

I went over to my drawer and got out a black blouse and a gray skirt. After dressing myself, I grabbed my wallet and stuffed it into my skirt pocket. Making my way downstairs again, I made my way towards the front door. While I was slipping on my shoes, my brother Takafumi silently walked up to me.

"Nee-chan?"

"Yes, Takafumi?"

"…Have fun. See you later."

"Heh, I will." My arms slowly found their way around my little brother as I brought his body close to mine.

"Nee-chan…your breasts are pressing up against me." He sounded really nervous. I couldn't help but laugh at the awkwardness that he now found himself in.

"Hehe, I guess we're even now…little brother." I softly whispered aloud to him.

The two of us separated from our embrace as I noticed that my brother's cheeks were ablaze as his eyes darted off to the side, clearly unable to look me in the eye. I couldn't help but smile at him. He was so adorable right then and there. I lightly patted him on his head, my fingers softly running through his brown hair. He hurriedly ran off after that, clearly not enjoying my teasing of him.

"This isn't over, nee-chan!"

"It never will be, will it?" I couldn't help but quietly grin at my brother's rambunctiousness. It's hard to believe that at one point, my brother was a quiet and humble person. Well, he still is, for the most part anyway, but over the past two years, he's opened up quite a bit. I can actually see his smiling face now. There was a time where my little brother hardly smiled at all. I'm glad...that things in my life have changed for the better.

Tomoya's house wasn't too far from mine. It was a little past 7 am. The spring air gently rustled through my hair, cooling and blowing it. I thought about the fact that he was still sleeping right now. He really needs to improve his sleeping schedule. Twenty minutes of silent walking, Tomoya's house came into view. I sprinted towards the front door, eager to get inside. When I reached the front door, I saw Tomoya's father walking out.

"Ah, good morning, Tomoyo-san."

"Hello, and a good morning to you, too, Naoyuki-san. Is Okazaki still sleeping?"

"I'm afraid so. I guess you'll have to be the one to wake him up again."

"It's no trouble at all. That's one reason why I'm over here in the mornings nowadays."

"And what might the other reason be, if you don't mind me asking?" I felt my cheeks slowly burning at Naoyuki-san's words.

"Um...well..." He simply laughed at my flustered face.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have teased you like that. I'm glad Tomoya-kun has a friend like you looking over him."

"It's okay. I'm glad I could be of some help for Okazaki. Will you be leaving now?"

"Yes, I have an old friend that I have to meet. I'll see you later, Tomoyo-san."

"Okay, see you later, Naoyuki-san."

I made my way over to Tomoya's room. Unsurprisingly, Tomoya was still sleeping. I slowly went over to his desk which was adjacent to his bed. I grabbed the chair and quietly picked it up, moving it over to the side of his bed where he was slumbering. I quietly sat down, making sure not to disturb his sleeping form. I couldn't help but smile at the sight of a sleeping Tomoya. I wonder what he was dreaming about. He looked so peaceful. I couldn't help but serenely smile at the sight before me. I didn't want to wake him up so soon. I decided to let him have some more time to rest.

Tomoya Okazaki… it was hard to believe that I first met the guy several weeks ago. There were still a lot of things about him that I don't know. One thing that I did know for certain was that he and his dad don't get along at all. Naoyuki-san seems like a nice man, but from the way that I've seen Tomoya react towards his presence, there was definitely something that I don't know. A part of me wondered whether or not Tomoya will ever tell me the whole story. I couldn't help but worry about him. I know what it's like to come from a dysfunctional family. At one point in my life, I was no different from Tomoya himself. Maybe that's why I can relate to his situation well. I…I consider Tomoya a close friend of mine. Aside from the times that I've seen him with Sunohara at school, I've been spending time with him for the past few days now. While there are still some things about Tomoya that remain a mystery to me, I would like to believe that he trusts me. For certain, I definitely trust _him_. And yet, there's a part of my mind that can't help but feel some sense of doubt.

Who is Tomoya Okazaki? If someone were to ask me such a question, I would answer that he's a third-year student at Hikarizaka High School. I was a year younger than he was, so the two of us aren't even in the same class. Most of my meetings with him occurred either before or after school. And the few times that I have seen him at school are those instances where I see him with Sunohara. He was Tomoya's best friend, a blonde-haired boy with a petty grudge against me. I guess he still couldn't fathom that a girl could possess so much physical strength. He would usually try to attack me, but his efforts have always proved fruitless. Even so, he still comes at me time and time again. If anything, I have to give Sunohara credit for being...persistent.

If I had to describe his personality, I would say that Tomoya is a generously kind person, even if he does come across as a prankster often. He and Sunohara usually like to mess with me in their own way. Well, it was usually Sunohara who physically tries to attack me; Tomoya always stood a few feet back from him to watch the spectacle unfold to his own amusement. But I couldn't help but wonder if Tomoya would do the same if no one else was around. Would he… do something perverted? Was he that kind of person? From the time that I've spent with him, he doesn't come across as a pervert at all. But then again, how much do I _really_ know about Tomoya to begin with? Why would a guy like Tomoya call a person like Sunohara, a ridiculously silly goofball, his best friend? I can infer that the two of them have some common interests that kept one around the other. Did those interests... involve perversion? I wondered… if Tomoya would try anything… if I gave him the opportunity.

I couldn't help but smile at that… bizarre thought that I just had. If it was Sunohara, I wouldn't have considered such an idea. A part of me was genuinely curious as to what Tomoya would do in such a situation. If he doesn't do anything of that sort of nature, then I guess I was right…Tomoya…really is a nice guy after all. If he actually does, then…I'll probably forgive him. He _is_ a guy after all. It's only natural for him...after all...

Wait, what the _hell_ was I thinking?

I think… in that one moment, I had gone soft.

* * *

><p>I was in my room, slowly getting dressed to go over to Tomoya-kun's house. It was 7:30 am in the morning. I wanted to go over to his house early in the morning and surprise him with some food that I had made for him. Considering everything that Tomoya-kun has done for me for the past several days, I felt the need to properly repay him. Cooking some food for him was the least I could do for Tomoya-kun. I put on my orange halterneck top, slipping my head through the loop and sliding the fabric down the rest of my body till it covered my stomach. I went over to my drawer and pulled out a long pale yellow skirt. I slipped my legs through it, slowly pulling it up to my waist. I drew the two drawstrings around the skirt and tied them into a neat knot. I glanced at the mirror in the room as I twirled my body around a full 360 degrees. I smiled at myself, happy that I was going over to Tomoya-kun's house soon. A part of me wondered what he would think when he saw me in this outfit. A small blush crept onto my face as I hastily shook my head, realizing that I probably shouldn't be thinking such things. Tomoya-kun has been my friend since we were little kids. He couldn't…see me as anything else…<em>right<em>?

After realizing that my pondering wouldn't give me any clear answers anytime soon, I decided to head downstairs into the kitchen. Opening the refrigerator, I pulled out a bento box that I had prepared from last night. At that moment, my ears picked up the sound of the doorbell ringing, so I swiftly made my way over to the front door. Upon opening the door, I noticed a familiar old sight.

"Good morning, Kotomi."

I bowed deeply, greeting him with a bright smile. "Good morning, Aoyama-san. **[1]** What brings you over here this early in the morning?"

"I just came to check up on you, that's all."

"Um, there's something that I wanted to ask you."

"What is it, Kotomi?"

"Well…you see…"

* * *

><p>Rays of sunlight greeted my eyes as they opened from the darkness. I was now sitting upright as I scanned my surroundings. I had to blink my eyes several times before they decided to stay opened. I stared at the clock on the wall. It was around 8 o'clock. Today was Sunday. I sluggishly moved my body out of my own bed, lazily making my way over to the drawer. I got a pair of pants on before quietly making my way over to the bathroom where I brushed my teeth. As soon as I was done with that, I made my way over to the kitchen, where Tomoyo was busily cooking something, her back facing towards me.<p>

"You don't have to come here on Sundays, too." I admit; I was surprised at her dedication to come over on the weekends like this.

"If I wanna come here on Sunday, then it's my choice." That was putting it bluntly. I couldn't help but quietly chortle to myself as I realized that I hadn't properly greeted her yet.

"…Good morning, Tomoyo."

"Heh, I was wondering when you were going to properly greet me. Good morning, Okazaki." She turned around to briefly greet me before resuming work on breakfast.

"Where's my dad?" I couldn't help but wonder where he was at the moment. He was usually off from work on Sundays.

"He went out a little while ago. I guess you don't get along with him very well, do you?" I was surprised to see her mention my father in such a casual manner as that. I guess those two have been talking to each other when I was still asleep. What they talked about, I couldn't fathom, but a part of me didn't want to know either. I didn't want to talk about my father, not at a time like this and possibly not anytime soon. Sensing that she must've said something that would upset me, Tomoyo hastily apologized to me. "I'm... I'm sorry, that's none of my business, is it?"

A dreadfully uncomfortable silence had befallen the both of us. I wonder what was going through Tomoyo's mind right now. Her back was still facing me as she was busily preparing breakfast for the both of us, so I couldn't even see her face at all. I was worried that there was a frown upon her face. Worst case scenario, Tomoyo was holding back tears over a tiny little mistake like that. Concern was beginning to build up inside of me as I just stood there, silent in thought. The quietness probably gave Tomoyo the wrong impression, where she most likely thought that I was angry at her.

I peered over to see what Tomoyo was doing exactly. She was stirring a huge pot with a ladle that she was holding in her right hand, while her left hand was firmly holding the pot with an orange oven mitten. I slowly walked up right behind her and wrapped my arms around her body. My left arm wrapped around her waist while my right arm wrapped around her upper torso, resting snugly beneath her ample bosom. I could faintly feel the pounding of her beating heart beginning to quicken at my touch.

"O-Okazaki? What are you doing?"

"I thought you were sad."

"To be honest, I was. I…I shouldn't have said anything in the first place, considering how you and your father don't get along. I'm sorry."

"It's okay. Tomoyo?"

"Yes?"

"I'll…I'll tell you the whole story…someday…when I'm ready."

"You don't have to rush things. I'm sure you'll tell me everything…whenever you feel comfortable enough to do so."

"Thanks."

"Um, Okazaki, as much as I like…having you close to me like this, could you…"

"Oh, right. Sorry."

"I…really do appreciate the thought, though. Thank you…for the hug, Okazaki."

"Yeah, no problem, just helping out a friend, that's all. So, how's the student council campaign going? It's almost election day, right?"

"It's going well. Don't worry." The doorbell suddenly rang as Tomoyo and I took notice. I made my way towards the front door. Opening it, I was greeted with the sight of the Fujibayashi twins. Kyou was standing to the left of Ryou. The older sister was wearing a purple top and long blue jeans. I briefly turned my attention towards Ryou, eyeing her entire body from head to toe. She was wearing a white dress with a cropped denim jacket over it.

"Morning, Tomoya! Thought you might appreciate a little snack!" Kyou was the one to speak up as she held up a bento box to me, smiling widely at me.

"Puhi~! Puhi~!" Her pet boar Botan happily grunted on the ground nearby, sharing her master's sentiments.

"Thank you." I graciously accepted the bento from her. It was wrapped in a red cloth, neatly tied into a knot at the very top. Judging from its weight, I came to the conclusion that there were two bento boxes inside.

"I'm sorry, but onee-chan insisted on coming." Ryou looked away from me out of flustered nervousness for a brief moment before returning to meet my gaze, a small blush forming on his face. I guess she became self-conscious at her body now that I was able to see the outfit she decided to wear onto our date later today.

"Oh, yeah, well, whatever, it's fine." As long as Kyou didn't actually tag along with Ryou and I, things should be fine.

"Okazaki, what's going on?" My attention turned towards Tomoyo's incoming presence. I forgot that she was still in the kitchen before I came out here to open the front door. Tomoyo's face lit up with surprise when she saw the Fujibayashi twins. "Visitors? I wasn't expecting company."

"It's you?" Judging from the way Kyou reacted, I assumed that she thought it was just going to be me, Ryou, and herself eating together. Guess Tomoyo being over here at my house in the morning put a damper in her plans.

"Tomoya-kun. Kyou-chan, Ryou-chan, it's a lovely morning, isn't it?" Kotomi mysteriously appeared from behind the corner of the street. The four of us didn't even realize she was nearby until she spoke up. She gave a small bow to all of us as a welcoming gesture.

"No offense, Kotomi-chan, but what are you doing here?" Judging by what Kotomi was holding in her hands, I already knew how she was going to respond to Ryou's question…

"I thought Tomoya-kun must be hungry with no one to cook for him. So I thought I would stop by and bring him some lunch." …and I was correct.

"Ah..." The Fujibayashi twins simply whispered in understanding. This…wasn't going to end well for me…at all.

"Why does everyone look so gloomy now? The air in here is rather…heavy."

"Puhi~!" Before I knew it, I was sitting at the table on the floor, with the Fujibayashi sisters to the right of me, Kotomi directly across from me, and Tomoyo sitting on the left. Botan was resting on the floor between Kotomi and Ryou. We were all just sitting there in silence, staring intently at the food just sitting there on the table. Nobody dared to speak a single word to anyone else. The silence in the room was eerie and eating away at my mind. I didn't want to be the first one to talk, but nobody else was willing to budge. My patience finally yielded.

"N-No offense, but there's no way I can eat all this food." It was the simple truth of the matter, a truth that _none_ of the girls were willingly going to accept so easily.

"Ryou and I got up at 5 AM to prepare this. You _will_ eat it now, won't you?" My attention turned towards Kyou. The awkward smile on her face did nothing to alleviate my concerns for this situation I was unfortunately wrapped up in.

"Since I'm the reason Okazaki was suspended, I'm the only one involved. It's my duty to take care of his food..." My head quickly darted over to Tomoyo. Out of the corner of my eyes, I happened to notice that Kotomi was mimicking my own actions.

"What do you mean 'only one involved?' Are you trying to say we have nothing to do with this?"

"To be perfectly blunt, no you don't. As far as this incident is concerned, you're all outsiders."

"My sister and I have known Tomoya since his junior year. Hell, Kotomi over there has known him since she was a little kid! Are you saying the Drama Club doesn't count for anything?"

"Time and titles don't determine the strength of someone's friendship."

"Ugh...What kind of logic is that?"

"The sensible kind of logic, of course. Let me ask you this: in the year that you've known Okazaki, how much do you know about him?"

"And let me ask _you_ the same question, Sakagami. In the _weeks_ that you've known Tomoya, how much can you say that you know about him anyway?"

"Well, I can tell you that he and his father don't get along very well. Do you know what he constantly has to deal with every day?"

"If Tomoya hasn't mentioned anything about his personal life to any of his close friends, then that's his decision. We have no business butting into it. Have you ever considered _that_ possibility, Sakagami?"

"Yes, I have. But it makes me wonder, how can you call yourself a close friend of Okazaki if you aren't even aware of the problems that emotionally affect him?"

"Like you're one to talk. You still call Tomoya by his _family_ name."

"And I bet you never _asked_ to call him by his _given_ name. I assume you just called him by his first name on a whim."

"I've never been a stickler for formality. And besides, Tomoya is an easygoing guy. The fact that he has never once raised an issue on that means he most likely doesn't care either way."

"Going by your logic, then it doesn't matter if I call him Okazaki or Tomoya…now _does it_?"

My eyes kept darting back and forth between Kyou and Tomoyo. Things were getting worse by the minute. Those two were going at each other like a pack of rabid dogs wanting to kill each other. But what frightened me even more than that…was how relatively…calm…those two were bickering among each other. I do want to emphasize the word _relatively_…because at the rate things were going at, their current verbal tongue lashing would eventually evolve into a yelling spree…and me, Kotomi, Ryou, and Botan would be caught in the crossfire. There was a subdued growl that escaped from the elder Fujibayashi sibling, teeth subtly clenched in anger, as her eyes narrowed slightly, focusing on the silver-haired girl. Tomoyo was just staring back at Kyou with a quiet but deadly intensity. Her facial expression hadn't changed one single bit since her argument with Kyou began. It didn't take a genius to figure out who had more resolve at the moment. Hoping to diffuse the situation at hand, I decided to speak up...for better or for worse. "N-Now, come on, you guys. There's no need to get so riled up."

"It's because you won't make up your mind!" Hearing them bicker back and forth was already dreadful. The two of them chastising me in unison was even worse.

Eh, it was worth a shot.

"But that would be even worse! Ryou, please say something to these two." My face was pleading with Ryou for a solution to this entire debacle unfolding in my living room. Her face was staring at the table with a serious look on her face, her mind obviously lost in thought.

"Tomoya-kun..." She immediately turned towards me with a look of conviction that was not the norm for the timid Ryou. "…I want you to eat _my_ cooking as well!"

"Argh!" I couldn't help but groan at the fact that Despite the fierce determination that was now on her face, I thought I saw…an apologetic smile slowly forming on her face. Considering the argument that was brewing between her sister Kyou and Tomoyo, she probably wasn't in a position to be taking sides.

"Puhi~!" Botan shared the same sense of dread that I felt.

My attention turned towards the girl sitting across from me at the table. "Uh, Kotomi..."

"Yes, Tomoya?"

"Kotomi..." With Ryou unable to help me in this situation, Kotomi was my last chance.

"You know I started prepping last night, so I put a lot of work into cooking all this." And my last hope of salvation has been screwed over. I couldn't help but groan at that fact. I was slowly beginning to panic. And then, something unbelievable occurred.

"Fuko has…arrived!

Fuko Ibuki…arrived from out of thin air…_literally_. Her right arm was holding up a wooden starfish carving up into the air.

"Who are you supposed to be?" It appeared that I was really the only one who remembers Fuko at all. I couldn't help but find that thought depressing in a way. Ironically, Fuko was anything _but_ sad.

"I brought my home cooking for you to eat, too. Leave it to me! My food will make everything better, Okazaki."

"No, seriously, stop!"

"Of course, I understand how you must feel. But unfortunately, my home cooking is the only choice for you, Okazaki! Starfish pastries! Starfish cupcakes! Starfish cream puffs!"

"That's gross..." That's one thing that I would agree with Kyou.

"Tomoya-kun, please eat my box lunch. I made it just for you!"

"You won't let my work go to waste, will you?"

"Make up your mind already!"

"Take my food or else!"

"Puhi~! Puhi~!"

"Mine is the obvious choice, Okazaki!

"Puhi~!"

"The obvious choice!"

I was so screwed.

* * *

><p>I was laying down with my back on the floor of the living room, clutching my now-aching stomach. Through some miracle, I was able to eat most of the food that was on that table earlier.<p>

"Tomoya-kun, you still haven't eaten my apple pie yet." Well, I did say most…

"Kotomi-chan, I think…if I eat any more, I'm gonna vomit. Could you stick it in the refrigerator for me? I'll probably eat it later when I want a snack." Kotomi simply nodded my head as she got up from her seiza-style position with the box of apple pie in hand.

"Hey, Tomoya?" My attention now turned towards the older Fujibayashi twin.

"Yeah, Kyou?"

"Come over here for a moment." I gave her a befuddled look, but before I realized it, Kyou dragged my body off of the ground and onto my feet, forcibly dragging me towards the front door. "You better be on your best behavior. If I hear one word from Ryou about you trying something funny on her, your ass is _dead_, you got that?" Kyou was whispering aloud with grated irritation. Arriving at the conclusion that she didn't want anyone else to hear what she was telling me, I adjusted my voice accordingly.

"I know. You don't have to remind me of that!" Despite the fact that my volume was now lower, my whisper still came out a little harsh. Kyou must really be concerned that I would try something…perverted on Ryou. She said the exact same thing last night, too.

"I'm just giving you a fair warning, that's all. It's my duty as an older sister to look after her."

"You know, Ryou is a lot stronger than you think. You should give her some more credit."

"Heh, I know that, Tomoya. Even if a part of me still refuses to believe that, I think…she's become a little more…bolder…ever since she started hanging around you these past several days." She closed her amethyst eyes for a few moments before opening them again as she stared at me with a sincere smile on her face, a small and faint red blush forming. "Thanks…for letting my younger sister hang out with you today. It really means a lot to her…and to me, too. I know you two aren't really going out on an actual date or anything, but she's always wanted to spend some quality time with you all by herself, and I'm glad she's finally getting the opportunity to do so."

"Glad I could help a friend, out. There's something I've been wanting to ask Ryou as well, so it works to my own benefit as well."

"Oh _really_? What about?"

"It's…personal. You'll have to ask Ryou when she gets back home later today."

"Ugh, are you serious, Tomoya?" A look of disgusted disappointment filled her face.

"Yes, I'm serious. Now, if Ryou decides to tell you later on, then that's her decision, not mine."

"…Fine, I guess I'll ask her when she gets back." She softly sighed in defeat, clearly wanting an immediate answer from me.

"Thanks, Kyou."

"Yeah, no problem. Just make sure she gets home safely in one piece like last time, okay?"

"Will do."

"Well, I'll be leaving now. You two have fun on your…little date now." I dryly stared at Kyou as she opened the front door to leave. I followed her outside onto the pavement as my eyes followed her down the street. She turned around once, waving goodbye to me, with a seemingly genuine smile on her face. At least, that's it how it looked like from my end. Couldn't say for certain, considering the distance between us, but I waved back at Kyou with a smile of my own.

Just when I was about to head back inside my house, I felt a firm but familiar tug at my arm from behind me.

"Okazaki-san."

"Gah! Where the heck did you come from, Fuko?!" Her abrupt presence startled me to death; I don't think I would ever get used to her appearing and disappearing on a whim like that.

"Strange person is strange, as always." Comments like those…always unnerved me, and hearing them from Fuko now of all times…didn't change my opinion one bit. Calming myself down, I resolved myself to ask the obvious.

"…Anyway, was there something you wanted?"

"If it's not too asking too much, could you…come visit Fuko later?"

"I can come visit you later today. I'll be busy for the next few hours or so."

"That's fine with Fuko. Do you know the way back there?"

"I might've only been to that hospital once, but I think I can find my way back there."

"You better not get lost, Okazaki-san!" So much for Fuko having any shred of confidence in me.

"You honestly think I will?! Well, if I can't find my way, I can always ask your sister."

"I'll be waiting then."

As I turned my way to head back inside my house, I realized that there was something I wanted to ask Fuko. Turning my head back around, the small girl was no longer by my side. There wasn't even a single sign that she was physically there to begin with. A small empty breeze brushed against my bangs and face as my ruffled hair. My eyes blinked several times in rapid succession, making sure that I was still in reality. I knew that I wasn't imagining things. I knew that I talked with Fuko, even if there wasn't any physical evidence to prove it. Even if the world forgot about her, I knew that I never would. Thinking about Fuko's unusual request, my mind wondered why she wanted me to visit her. Was there something on her mind, which would require the two of us to be alone? Was she just lonely? It was pointless to worry about it when I had other immediate things to do with. I silently made my way back towards the living room where Ryou and Kotomi were silently sitting at the table where we were all eating breakfast earlier.

"Hey, where's Tomoyo?" I couldn't help but wonder where she was.

"She's in the kitchen right now, cleaning up. Tomoya-kun, if…you don't mind, could I stay here for a bit? I want to help Tomoyo-chan for a bit."

"Um, sure, I don't mind." I found Kotomi's request to be a little strange to say the least, but I didn't see the harm in letting her stay here for a bit. "Let's go ask her." I quickly rushed over to the kitchen where I saw Tomoyo cleaning the dishes and pots she used for breakfast with Kotomi slowly coming in from behind.

"Hey Tomoyo, for some reason, Kotomi over here wants to help you clean up. Think you could oblige her request? I'm gonna head out with a friend for a little bit." Kotomi bowed deeply after I was done asking Tomoyo.

"Sure, I don't mind. How long will you be gone?"

"Can't say for certain. Should I rush back here later?"

"No, it's okay. Take all the time you need. Besides, your father gave me a spare set of keys. I can come and go as I please. You don't need to come back here immediately on my behalf."

"Wait, my _dad_ gave you a spare set of keys?" I found it hard to believe that my father has trusted Tomoyo that much…

"Yeah, he did. Why, is there a problem?"

"No, it's nothing. I'll…see you in a bit, okay Tomoyo?" She simply nodded her head as her attention returned to the sink with Kotomi joining her. I made my way back over to the living room where Ryou was staring off into space.

"You ready to go, Ryou?" She simply nodded her head. We made our way out to the front door. I locked the door with the keys in my hand before jamming them into the right pocket of my jeans.

"I'm...really nervous. I've never been on a date with anyone before."

"Same here. I've never dated anyone, either. I have some ideas about the basics, but that's about it. Hmm, wanna head to the park, Ryou?"

"Sayama Park, you mean?"

"Yeah, there's something that I've been wanting to talk to you about. That's the main reason why we're hanging out together right now. But, I certainly don't mind spending time with you, either." I smiled at the timid girl, who was blushing at my remark. "Is that okay with you?"

"Mhmm."

The two of us continued walking in silence. It was about 9 am in the morning. The sun was bearing down on us both, but the spring air cooled us down a bit. As I was walking, I turned my head over to my left, looking at Ryou. Her eyes were focused on the ground as the two of us walked in silence. She was probably nervous. I decided to strike up some idle conversation to ease her mind.

"Ryou?" I came to an abrupt stop in my tracks. It wasn't until Ryou turned her head rightward to the sound of my voice that she realized that I was now behind her.

"Yes, Tomoya-kun?"

"Your dress...it looks really beautiful on you." And at that moment, either by sheer coincidence…or divine intervention, a gentle breeze rustled Ryou's hair and her white dress. The white ribbon that was tied to the left side of her head swayed in the wind. Unaware of the Her hand reached up to

My compliment sent her into a blushing fury. "Really? You're not kidding?"

"I wouldn't joke about something like that."

My reassurance drew a smile from Ryou. "Onee-chan recommended that I wear this dress today. I thought it wasn't a good idea at first, though."

"Huh, why? It looks really good on you."

"Well...I'll tell you later, okay?" I silently nod my head. Clearly, for whatever reason, she didn't want me to know at the moment. I guess she had her reasons. It wasn't that big of a concern to me, at least, not enough for me to push the matter any further, but my curiosity was raised nonetheless.

The two of us eventually reached the park. Being here at 9:30 am on a Sunday morning meant that there was barely anyone around at all. I didn't want anyone possibly spying on the two of us. We sat on one of the benches that overlooked the huge pond. I sat on the left while Ryou occupied the right half, just like last time.

"So...we're finally alone, Tomoya-kun. What's been on your mind?"

"I've been thinking...this whole love triangle...or is it a square...pentagon?" I found myself wondering what exactly I should call it. Ryou couldn't help but quietly giggle at my own confusion. Can't say that I blame her. "Anyway, the point is...I know this issue isn't going to resolve itself."

"Unfortunately not. Do you have a plan or something?"

"I might. I don't know if it's a good one, though."

"I'm all ears, Tomoya-kun. That's what I'm here for. We're friends after all."

I couldn't help but laugh a little at Ryou's choice of words. "Friends...interesting choice of words there."

"Why's that?"

"Well, if I want this plan of mine to actually work...then, we might have to take things...to the next level."

"W-w-w-wait, _what_?"

"I know...that things won't change unless I do something myself. That's why...I need to ask you a big favor, Ryou."

"What is it?"

"Don't take this the wrong way, but...do you...want to be…my girlfriend? Not for real, more like pretend. I know I'm being selfish and cruel asking such a favor from you, considering that I know that you still have a crush on me deep down. This plan is probably torture to you, since we won't officially be...boyfriend and girlfriend."

"A part of me...still has a crush on you, Tomoya-kun. I...I don't think that will ever fade away. But, even so, as your friend, I want to help you out in any way that I can."

"I'm sorry...that I can't be anything more than a friend to you, Ryou."

"It's okay. Being your girlfriend, even if I'm just pretending...is more than enough for me."

"So, you agree to this plan of mine?"

"I have some concerns...but yes, I'll go with your plan." I slowly embraced her body into mine.

"Thank you."

"I should be the one thanking _you_, Tomoya-kun. It's...like a dream come true. I know that sounded a little corny, but I am being honest here."

A small chuckled escaped from my mouth. "Being in a relationship with me was a dream of yours?"

Ryou returned a subdued laughter of her own. "Maybe. I have thought about it for a long while now."

"You do remember that I have a reputation as a delinquent, right?"

"Hehe, I know. Even so, the past year has taught me that there was more to you than meets the eye."

"I'm glad I could make your dreams come true...sort of." The two of us couldn't help but laugh at that. We separated from our hug as we looked each other in the eye.

"What concerns are you worried about?"

"I'm mainly concerned about onee-chan. And then there's our family and friends as well. In order for this to work, we would both have to lie to them. I...I don't know if I can endure such guilt, deceiving everyone like this."

"If at any point you want to back out of this plan, then please, tell me. I'll call the plan off right then and there."

"If you don't mind me asking, what exactly are you trying to accomplish with this plan?"

"I don't know whether or not this plan will actually work...but here's what I'm thinking. If I'm already seen with you in a relationship, then Kyou, Tomoyo, Kotomi, and Nagisa will either do one of two things. They'll either accept us as a couple or they'll confess their feelings to me. Regardless of what happens, leaving things as they are right now won't fix anything. In fact, dragging this entire mess out will hurt everyone more in the long run. I...I just want this to end quickly...with as little damage as possible, you know?"

"Yes, I understand. But, what happens if this plan backfires on us both? I'm worried that onee-chan might begin to distance herself from me after we reveal our relationship to her."

"I've considered that possibility as well." I pondered in silence for several moments before continuing. "Hmm, how about...we keep it a secret? Of course, there's two ways that such a decision can go. On the one hand, if we were to become a couple and make it known to everyone, then the others might give up on this matter for a while in order to concentrate on trying to reestablish the Drama Club. On the other hand, there's a possibility that this piece of news might devastate everyone, including Nagisa herself. The last thing that I want to do is to destroy her morale."

Ryou sat there for a few moments in silence before speaking up again. "It might be better for us both in the long run if we stay quiet about this. Rumors spread throughout Hikarizaka pretty quickly. The last thing I would want is for you to be the subject of any rumors going through the hallways."

"And what about you, Ryou? Aren't you worried that you'll be part of the rumors, too?"

"If worst comes to worst, onee-chan could dispel it...through force."

"I suppose that's one good thing about having an older sister who's...violent."

"Onee-chan will really hurt you if you said that in front of her."

"Yeah, no kidding." I couldn't help but find Ryou's words amusing, obvious as it was.

"If we really are going through with this plan, then I suggest we really become a couple...to make it more real. It wouldn't feel natural otherwise. Everyone else might suspect that we're up to something. That is, if you want to do that."

"Well then…I guess starting today, we're officially…boyfriend and girlfriend. That okay with you?" I noticed tears were beginning to stream down Ryou's face.

"I... I'm sorry... I... I can't help it...It's like a dream come true...I'm so happy... Thank you...Thank you..."

"I should be the one thanking you…and apologizing to you as well."

"Huh, why?"

"Even though we're in a relationship, this won't last forever, you know?"

"I'm…fully aware of that, Tomoya-kun. Even so, I…want to cherish this time that I have with you now. It's funny. I never thought that I would ever become your girlfriend. I knew onee-chan had her eye on you. I knew she was in love with you, just like I was. But even though I knew, I didn't think of her feelings at all. I asked her to help me so that I could get closer to you. She seemed a little surprised at first, but then a big smile spread across her face. 'Just leave it to me,' she said. That's what she told me. Of course, I knew how she'd react, and I knew I wasn't being fair to her. It was an awful thing to do, to go along with her, but I still did it because…I wanted to be with you. I know…that I'm being really selfish, but I can't help it. If you want, I…I can try to be more like my sister if you like. I know I'm kinda shy, but I can learn to be more outgoing if you give me some time. I'll grow out my hair, since I know you like girls with longer hair. I know that I'm not the best cook, but I'm practicing with onee-chan's help. I'll…I'll be anything you want! Just please-"

"No. That's terrible. I would never ask for that!" Shock overcame her face as I just now realized just how slightly loud my voice had become in that instance. I took a small breath before continuing on, making sure to keep the volume of my voice in check. "All I want…is for you to be yourself. You're Ryou Fujibayashi. You're your own person. I know that you can never be what your older sister is…but I don't want you to, either. You're fine just the way you are. I wouldn't want to change any of it for the world. So just…please, stay as you are."

"Do you…do you really mean that?"

"Yes, I do. You and Kyou are complete opposites. You're both different, in your own…unique way." I hesitated a little bit at the end of the statement, wondering if I had phrased that properly. I must've had a weird expression on my face right then and there since Ryou was quietly chuckling under her breath.

"You've been a little more bold being around me since yesterday, right?"

"A little, perhaps. I think you have that kind of effect on people, Tomoya-kun."

"You really think so?"

"Nagisa-chan would agree with me. So would Kotomi-chan, too."

"They might. They just might. Your hair, I think you should just leave it the way it is. Long hair is a personal preference of mine, no offense. But, it isn't a deal breaker, either. I think your short hair suits you just fine, Ryou."

"Thank you, Tomoya-kun. I certainly wouldn't mind growing my hair out…if it made you happy."

"I'm happy just the way you are. I think I would probably find you with long hair a little jarring at first. I might get used to it after a while, but I think you look much cuter with your shorter hair." My compliment sent her into a silent frenzy as her face was blushing once more.

"…Tomoya-kun?"

"Yes, Ryou?"

"Is it…all right…if we…kissed?" I felt a sudden rise of heat on my entire face the moment Ryou finished her question. I slowly turned my head around all in directions to observe my surroundings. For the most part, the park was empty, give or take a few kids off on the other side of the pond. I turned back towards Ryou, who had a confused look on her face.

"Well, since we're pretty much alone, I guess…it'll be…all right…if we…kissed."

"A-a-are you sure?" I silently nodded my head, a gentle smile adorning my face to reassure her that I was okay with her request. I scooted my body closer to Ryou by a few inches as she did the same as well. Her right hand reached out for me as my left hand subconsciously grabbed it, our fingers lacing together. My right hand slowly cupped Ryou's left cheek, my thumb gently caressing it. Her right hand reached around towards the back of my neck, her fingers running through my hair, pushing my head closer to hers until our foreheads were touching. We were staring each other in the eyes once again. I could feel the warm breath emanating from her mouth. My cheeks were flushed. Her cheeks were flushed. I couldn't help but quietly chuckle at how embarrassed the both of us were. Ryou closed her eyes as a small laugh escaped from her lips. We didn't know _what_ we were doing exactly. The two of us did kiss yesterday, but that was unintentional. It just…kinda happened. Now that Ryou and I now found ourselves in a situation where we _wanted_ to kiss each other, we…were simply at a loss. The two of us were alone, sitting under a bench, underneath a tree, on a brisk Sunday afternoon, with our foreheads pressed against one another, quietly laughing to ourselves all the while. We were alone together in our awkwardness.

"Thanks, Ryou…for helping me." My eyes were slowly closing to greet the darkness.

"You're welcome…Tomoya-kun. We're friends…after all." With each spoken word, her voice faded into a mere whisper. My head titled slightly towards the right…as our lips touched. I felt the tip her tongue trying to pry my lips apart in order to get inside my mouth. I was surprised that the timid Ryou Fujibayashi could be this bold. My mind was slowly drowning in the euphoria of the kiss. I wanted to enjoy this fleeting moment while it lasted. My lips slightly opened to allow her tongue inside my mouth. The kiss lasted for about a minute until the both of us had to part from each other for air. We were quietly grasping for oxygen, clearly new to the experience of kissing.

"Have…have you…_done_ this before?" Curiosity got the better of me, so I felt compelled to ask.

"Um…well…" She broke eye contact with me as her eyes were now facing her lap where her two hands were now resting. Judging from her reaction and the fact that she was hesitant in answering my question, I would assume that she has kissed someone before. But then, that raised an even bigger question: who has she kissed anyway?

"If it's troubling you this much, then you don't have to tell me, okay? I can just use my imagination."

"Thank you...for being so considerate for me, Tomoya-kun. But…I want to tell you. I…I trust you. It wouldn't be right to keep a secret from a friend."

"Thanks, Ryou." She smiled at me, nodding her head.

"You have to promise…not to tell anyone else, please?"

"Yeah, I'll keep my mouth shut."

"Okay…well…" After a period of long silence, Ryou finally continued on. "…onee-chan."

"What about Kyou?"

"…I've…kissed onee-chan…before." Wait, did she say…what I thought she said?

"Wait, repeat that for me again."

"…I've kissed onee-chan before." Wait…_what_?

"When you say kiss…do you mean…on the _lips_?"

"Yes…I've kissed her…on the lips."

At this point, Ryou couldn't even look in my general direction anymore. Upon hearing those words a second time, my face immediately turned red, as perverted thoughts began swirling around in my head. Ryou must've noticed it and began panicking. "N-n-n-n-n-no, it's not what you think, Tomoya-kun!"

"Is it safe to assume that there's more to this than what you've told me so far?" She simply nodded her head, too embarrassed to meet my gaze.

"Well, you already know that onee-chan has been helping me get closer to you these past few days now. O-one of the things that she's done for me…is to help me with kissing. I've…never really kissed anyone before, at least, not on the lips anyway. I would…sometimes practice with her. It's usually onee-chan's idea to do it; I just usually agree to go with it since I didn't want to hurt her feelings…and I figured, if onee-chan is willing to go _this_ far to help me, it would be very rude of me to reject her help."

"Ah, I see. Kyou…really loves you, huh?" Ryou looked at me with a shocked expression. "N-n-n-no, what I meant was…she really loves you...as a sibling would, not in a romantic sense!" Ryou's face calmed down once more as she gently smiled.

"Onee-chan…has been looking out for me my entire life. I…depend upon her…for so many things. I'm very grateful to have an older sister like her. I love her…so very much."

"Kyou's lucky…to have a younger sister like you who thinks so highly of her. I wish I could understand the bond that siblings share. I'm just an only child." It was at that moment that I noticed that Ryou's mouth opened, but no sound came out. It looked like she wanted to ask me something, but decided against it at the last second.

"Tomoya-kun, do you want to eat lunch now?" I got the feeling that she wanted to ask something else entirely, but I chose to remain quiet. I was starting to get a little hungry, so my mind immediately found her question ideal.

"Yeah, sounds good to me."

The two of us enjoyed a nice bento lunch underneath the shade of the tree above us.

"Tomoya?"

"Yes, Ryou?"

"Will this plan…really work?"

"To be honest with you…I really don't know, but one thing that I _do_ know for certain…is that I can't expect things to resolve by itself. I feel like…I have to do _something_…or else, it'll just get worse from here on out. It's not fair to Nagisa, to Kyou, to Kotomi, or Tomoyo."

"Hmm, if we want this plan to work, does this mean that I'll be spending more time with you?"

"Well, since we're trying to keep this a secret, we are going to have to sell it to everyone that you're trying to get closer to me. Hopefully, that'll cause the other girls to try to open up their feelings."

"I have an idea. Maybe we can keep this going up until the school festival comes around. Assuming that Sakagami-san is able to win the election and Nagisa-chan manages to reestablish the Drama Club, that would give us a few weeks to see if anything happens between now and then. If…nothing happens by the time the school festival comes, then…I think the two of us should break up. That might be the final push everyone needs in order to confess their feelings to you."

"That…might work. It just might, but there's no way to know for sure."

"Yes, the future…is certainly unpredictable. What happens when everyone else has admitted their feelings for you?"

"I'll need to gather everyone up after that. All of us…need to have a really long talk about this. And we need to settle this…with little conflict, if possible. Of course, with your sister and Tomoyo both involved, things…aren't going to be easy."

"I'll help in any way I can."

"Thanks, I'd appreciate that. Hopefully, I don't get strapped to a chair by the time this is all said and done."

"Um, I know you're still full and all from this morning…but…do you want to share the bento that I brought along with us?" Ryou grabbed a bento box from out of tote bag that she was carrying.

"I'll eat some of the rice. You can have everything else. I'm…still full from earlier."

"Hehe, okay." Ryou opened the bento box. She handed me a pair of chopsticks while she grabbed a pair of her own.

"Itadakimasu."

Ryou placed the bento onto the wooden bench as the two of us began to eat. I was still full from earlier, so I just settled for the rice. Ryou's chopsticks were heading towards the fried eggs.

"Your sister made this, right?"

"Yes, I tried to make it, but…it didn't turn out so well, I'm afraid. Onee-chan insisted that we use the bento that she made for us instead. You know…to make sure that our 'date' didn't end up a disaster."

"Yeah, I can understand her reasoning, but you know…you should have more confidence in your cooking."

"I'll keep that in mind…Thank you."

A quiet yawn involuntarily escaped from my mouth.

"Are you tired, Tomoya-kun?"

"Yeah, I'm not used to waking up this early on a Sunday morning."

"Well, if you want…you could lean on my body. I'm not sure if a person's shoulder is the best place to take a nap, though."

"Nah, don't worry about that. You sure you don't mind?"

"I'm sure."

"Okay then, guess I'll take you up on your offer then."

I found myself leaning towards the left half of Ryou's body, my right cheek firmly pressing against her head.

"Are you _really_ sure about this?" My eyelids were starting to droop as darkness was slowly overtaking my vision.

"Yes, I'm sure…Tomoya-kun."

"Heh, thanks, Ryou."

As my eyes accustomed itself to the darkness, my other senses took over as I tried to focus on falling asleep. My ears could hear the swaying of the leaves above me. My skin could feel the light silent breeze gently caressing against me. My nose…my sense of smell is the weakest of my five senses, but…my nose couldn't help but noticed…the scent of Ryou's hair. It was very subtle, but I know it smelled of a certain kind of citrus, lime or lemon perhaps? Either way, the smell was pleasing to my nostrils as it gradually coaxed me back into slumber once more.

...I'm not used to waking up on an early Sunday morning.

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><p><em><span>Footnotes<span>_:

**[1]** – The old gentleman aka Kotomi's legal guardian/godfather, as far as I can tell, was never given a name to begin with. So, I decided to give him one for convenience's sake: Aoyama, named after his Japanese voice actor, Yutaka Aoyama.

**[2]** – A reference to "Me From Before", a short story from **_Official Another Story Clannad: On the Hill that Light Watches Over_** (**_Official Another Story_** **_Clannad_** 光見守る坂道で)

_Well, that's the end of chapter 5. If you actually made it to the end of this chapter, then I salute you for being able to put up with my story for this long. If it's not asking too much, any kind of feedback, be it pointing out spelling/grammar mistakes, suggestions, or just your thoughts and feelings on this chapter, anything would be great. All I ask is that you remain civil and keep things constructive. That's all. ^_^'_

_Remember to check my profile page every day to see how much progress I have made on the next chapter. It will go up the moment that number hits 100%. _

_And don't worry, I'm never going to drop this story, so long as there is continued interest from readers for my fanfic. For personal reasons, I want to see this story through to the very end, even if it takes a long time to get there..._


	6. Chapter 6

_11/11/2012__ – For everyone living in the US, including me, Happy Veteran's Day!  
><em>

_It's finally here! I deeply apologize for the gigantic wait. Hopefully, this chapter will be a return to form in terms of quality since I felt dissatisfied with the last chapter. **Oh, and if it's not asking too much, if you do happen to leave a review for this chapter, please tell me how I did in writing Kotomi and Sanae's perspectives. I want to see if I got their characteristics and personalities down. I'm still an amateur writer, so…** _

_Hello, people of FanFiction dot net. I'm back again with the next chapter of my very first fanfic. Thank you for all the reviews, everyone! (26 as of this chapter) ^_^ As the author of this story, I'm happy to see reviews being left behind. It motivates me to continue on with this story of mine. ^_^ For those who don't already know, I do personally respond to every single review that is left behind for my story. I figure that it's the least I can do as the author of this fanfic and communicate with my readers. Even though some of the character's personalities might/will be slightly altered for the sake of my fanfic, I'll try to remain faithful to their overall "spirit" that was portrayed in the anime series. Clannad is my favorite anime series of all time, so I felt compelled to write a story of my own. I hope you enjoy it. And once again, any feedback that you can provide would be nice and very appreciated. ^_^ And with that, here is chapter 6: _

_Paragraphs in italics denote a flashback. Single words in italics / single words in regular print during a flashback denote emphasis and should be read as such.  
><span>Chapter rated T for<span>: Brief mild language, brief sexual content, and thematic material  
><span>Genre<span>: Comedy/Drama/Romance/Slice of Life  
><span>Pairing(s)<span>: (At the moment) Tomoya x Ryou (Of course, they're only pretending to be a couple for Tomoya's plan, but it still counts.)  
><span>Crossover(s)<span>: None at the moment..._

Author's Note #1: Reasons that Chapter 6 took a lot longer than usual: mainly school and I have gone through several rewrites of this chapter. Because of that, I had to change several things that I had planned down on paper to account for these changes. For anyone who asked me about future events occurring in my story, they…might or might not prove true anymore. Sorry for that little inconvenience.

Author's Note #2: The entirety of this chapter takes place before the 10:23 minute mark of episode 18 of the first season and is entirely made up of events from my own imagination. To make up for this chapter not having any events lining up exactly with this part of episode 18, there'll be some…subtle foreshadowing as to the direction that I'm about to take this story of mine in.

Author's Note #3: Tomoya x ?, Sunohara x ? I've now added a poll for Sunohara as well. You can find a link to it in my profile page. Go vote if you already haven't! XD

Author's Note #4: Perspectives – Kotomi, Sanae, Tomoya.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything **_Clannad_**-related, even though I wished I did...And from here on out, I do not own any series/movies/video games that I might make references to or decide to make any crossovers with as well.

* * *

><p><strong><span>Clannad ~Different Days~<span>**

-The Everyday Arc-

_Vague Synopsis - It's not quite the same story that you might remember, even if it feels strangely familiar. A different world, different relationships, different events...different days..._

**Chapter 6 – A Man Possessed of Some Radical Notions, Part 2**

Those who seek out the truth must not be arrogant. They must not think only of themselves. They should never laugh at miracles just because they cannot be proven scientifically. They must never hide their eyes from the beauty of this world. My father…told me those words back when I was a small child. I promised myself…that I would never forget them, ever.

It's been ages since I've last been over to Tomoya-kun's house. Even after all these years, his house was still relatively the same, more or less. Waves of nostalgia were beginning to wash over my mind as a small smile crept onto my face. Tomoya-kun was still the same, the kind and sweet boy that he has always been to me. It's hard to believe that he and I first met right in my backyard. He had stumbled into my backyard out of sheer happenstance, trying to catch a butterfly with a net that he was holding in his hands. I remember...when I first laid eyes on him. He had this look of quiet curiosity on his perplexed face that I'll never forget. The two of us just stared at each other in complete silence for what felt like forever. We were simply fascinated by one another for reasons that can't be explained. It wasn't until my mother showed up from behind me that Tomoya-kun realized that he wasn't supposed to be there. As the days passed, Tomoya-kun kept coming over to my house. After school, on the weekends, he visited me very frequently. Back then, I never really understood why he kept coming. My mind couldn't comprehend the fact that a complete stranger would want to befriend me. Regardless, Tomoya-kun always stayed by my side…until an incident drove us apart for years.

The years that I've spent separated from him…were some of the saddest days of my life. There were days on end…where my house was mostly silent, Aoyama-san's presence the only thing breaking through the desolate state. I had pushed my godfather away all of these years, thinking that he was after my father's research thesis, but that didn't turn out to be the case. Of course, I never knew that he was my godfather back then. I had kept my distance from him…without ever giving him a chance to explain his side of the story. I had lost both of my parents. I had lost the only true friend I ever had. I wanted to be alone. I wanted…to just die. I didn't want to hurt any more.

My mother and father…We were supposed to throw a big party with all of my friends. But, they were two renowned scientists on the verge of a breakthrough of a major discovery. They had to travel overseas for a business trip, but I was young, and my emotions got the better of me. I was infuriated that my parents wouldn't be able to stay for my birthday despite the fact that they promised me. As a result, I…said cruel and painful words to them both, words that I now regret with all of my heart, words…that will forever plague my mind until the day I die.

Every day since my parents died for these past ten years, I had sought out ways to atone for my sins. I wanted to make amends for the terrible words that I told my parents before they left me. I wanted to atone. I wanted to continue their legacy, as a way of honoring everything they had done for me. My parents wouldn't want me to just throw away my life like that. I had clipped out and collected every single news article that mentioned Kotaro and Mizue Ichinose, my father and mother's names, within its text. In the beginning, I thought if I collected them all, it would act as repentance for my mistake. In my father's room, I plastered every single clipping onto the walls. It continued on and on for a time, but after a while, that didn't feel like it was enough anymore. So, whenever I saw my parent's name in a book, I cut it out and saved it as well, just like the other articles. It slowly became a strange obsession that I couldn't let go of. Cut a news article and post it onto the wall. Lather, rinse, and repeat, over and over and over again.

In the years since, I've studied as hard as I can, from dawn to dusk, from minute to minute, moment to moment, with only brief moments of respite in between. I felt that if I persevered hard enough, even an ungrateful person like me could follow in Mother and Father's footsteps.  
>I didn't appreciate it at that time, but they always used the most beautiful words to express the world around them. Now that I've grown up, now that I'm older, I think that it is something that everyone in the world should know. It's a feeling that few among this earth can ever create, and that includes me.<p>

Despite my desires for atonement, there was also…another reason…a selfish reason…why I wanted to keep on living. Even if the chance was slim, I wanted…to see Tomoya-kun again. If I was dead, then there would be no way to physically see his gentle smile, to hold his warm body in my arms, to touch his soft face with my fingers, to hear his comforting beating heart reverberate through my body and soul. I held onto that tiny shred of hope all these years, and we eventually reunited just recently. At that moment, I knew…that all was right in my world once more. With his help and his friends, who have now become my friends as well, all of us celebrated a birthday party that I never got the chance to experience all those years ago. For the first time in what felt like forever, it felt like…a great burden had been lifted from my mind, as I was finally able to enjoy that party through the eyes of a youthful, inquisitive girl.

The house I was now in, Tomoya-kun's house, was entirely quiet, save for myself and the silver-haired girl who was standing next to me. Running water and clattering bento boxes were the only sounds that filled the now-empty home. The cold water splashed onto the various cooking utensils and bento boxes as the sponge in my hands firmly scrubbed at the grime and residual food still stuck on it. Neither I nor Tomoyo-chan spoke a word to each other as we concentrated on the present task at hand. Even so, I couldn't help but make the occasional quick glance towards the silver-haired girl out of the corner of my right eye.

Regardless of my feelings for him, judging by the scene that unfolded earlier, there were zero uncertainties that I was the only who likes Tomoya-kun. Nagisa-chan and Ryou-chan care for him very deeply. Kyou-chan and Tomoyo-chan are especially passionate about him as well. I couldn't help but worry about the kinds of strain such a conflict would put on everyone's minds. Knowing that the problem would only begin to slowly escalate from this point on, I knew that I couldn't just leave things be, that I had to at least make an attempt to stop this somehow.

"Um, Tomoyo-chan?"

"Hmm? Yes, what is it?"

"Thank you…for letting me help you." I didn't think that Tomoyo-chan would actually to let me stay behind and help her like this, so I felt that thanking her was the least I could do to show my gratitude.

"It's no trouble…Kotomi, right?" I silently nodded my head with a smile on my face. "I'm sorry; we've only talked that one time in the school courtyard a while back, and I was wearing that bear suit, too."

"You don't have to apologize. You still remember my name, even though the two of us have only talked once. I'm really happy that you did."

"Well, Okazaki did say that you were in need of some new friends, so it would've been terrible of me to forget a new friend's name."

"Tomoya-kun…Um, Tomoyo-chan, can I ask you something?"

"Heh, sure. Was that the reason why you wanted to stay behind and help me?"

"Yes, that's precisely why. I…wanted to consult with you…alone." My voice dripped of sullen worry as my eyes now focused on her face. Turning to face me, there was a concerned expression on her face as she slowly began to piece together the motive that still kept me here at Tomoya's house.

"It must be something serious then. Let's finish up here first, okay?" I merely nodded my head in silence as the two of us continued to wash the bento boxes and other utensils and putting them away in the cupboards. Knowing that I was able to confide with a friend put my heart at ease for a little.

"I think I can finish up here by myself. You can go wait in the living room."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I won't be long."

Making my way back over to the living room and sitting down once more at the table, my mind couldn't help but wander back to the girl who was the only other occupant of the house at the moment. Tomoyo Sakagami…I couldn't help but noticed how beautiful she was. Her luscious hair, her sumptuous body, and her well-defined breasts, I couldn't help but stare at awe in silence. It made me wonder…if Tomoya-kun had the same opinion about her beauty as well.

My right hand gradually made its way towards my left breast, the tips of my fingers softly caressing it with slow precision. I wondered whether or not Tomoya-kun ever noticed…my bosom in such a manner. Upon contemplating such thoughts, my mind remembered that one tiny incident that occurred not too long ago.

_One morning, I was walking to school up the steep road that lead up to the school. I saw Tomoya-kun up ahead and was about to run up towards him, but before I got the opportunity to proceed, Kyou-chan grabbed my right arm, stopping me dead in my tracks._

_"Hey Kotomi, I got a little favor I want you to do for me."_

_"A favor?"_

_"Yeah, it's gonna help you with making jabs and retorts, trust me." My ears were listening intently as Kyou-chan told me explicit instructions on what I should do. I certainly had my doubts as to whether or not it would really work, but my eyes caught sight of Tomoya-kun's body gradually disappearing into the distance, so I gladly complied with her request. Running up towards Tomoya-kun would alert me of my presence so I decided to slowly approach him. Walking hurriedly at a quickened pace, I made sure that my shoes didn't make too much noise with the cement. _

_When I was merely a few paces behind Tomoya-kun, I hesitated for a moment, wondering if this really was a good idea at all. Turning on the heel of my left foot to head back towards Kyou-chan, I noticed her head peeking from behind a nearby tree…with a disappointed and disgusted look on her face. I gave her a pleading look of desperation, but she merely pointed in Tomoya-kun's direction. I sighed in defeat as I took a deep breath as I made my way towards his back. As soon as the distance was closed, both of my arms stretched towards him, my hands covering Tomoya-kun's eyes. My hands gently pulled the weight of his body towards mine._

_"Guess who, Tomoya-kun?"_

_"Hey, wait a minute! Your breasts are pressing against me!"_

_"My breasts? My breasts are pressing against you?"_

_"What are you, a Russian gymnast or something? Kotomi, you're standing so close to me that I can feel your breasts being pressed against my back!" Upon this sudden realization, I jumped back several paces, clutching my chest as my heart thumped with rapid rhythm, my cheeks clearly flushed with embarrassment. _

_"My heart…it's beating so fast!" It was almost suffocating, my breathing slightly stilted, but it wasn't terrible. It was…different. It was…euphoric? There was this warm sensation in my heart after its pace began to slow down from the awkwardness. I didn't know what it was back then, but…_

_"Who's the weirdo who put you up to doing this embarrassing trick?!"_

_"That would be me, of course!" Before I had the chance to answer, Kyou-chan had come out of hiding, slowly walking towards us with a wide grin on her face. _

_"Ugh, I should've known. Stop teaching her strange things. She's a sweet girl."_

_"Why not? There's nothing to lose from it. Besides, it's not gonna make them any smaller, right?"_

I couldn't help but nervously smile at that embarrassingly fond memory, even if it was quite recent. **[1]** The tips of my fingers were still lingering on my breast, unmoving in its touch, lightly pressing against it, feeling its firm softness. I thought about Tomoya-kun's reaction…when my breasts were pressing against him. His stuttering voice, his lack of eye contact with me…I would assume that he wasn't looking my way to avoid showing me his blushing face, but…was he really that nervous? I was the one who came up to him and hugged him. I had a legitimate reason to find the situation embarrassing, but Tomoya-kun…Was he embarrassed too? It would be the most logical answer that I could think of. My heart…my fingers made their way from my breast over to my heart, where I could feel its pulsating beat. This feeling…it kept quickening and quickening. Pounding, thumping, slowly quickening in rhythm…I could feel a sudden rush of heat to my entire face.

Was I…really in love…with Tomoya-kun?

I'm not sure…if this sensation within me could be defined as love, but no other answer came to my mind. No other person, no family member nor friend that I have made throughout my life, was able to elicit such a response from me. I never had this unusually warm feeling inside of me whenever I was around Aoyama-san or Nagisa-chan or Kyou-chan or Ryou-chan and certainly not Tomoyo-chan right now. Only Tomoya-kun was able to do such a thing, even though he might not be fully conscious of it. This feeling confused me, scared me. It was foreign, alien to a person like me, to someone who never had the pleasure...of falling in love.

Quiet footsteps broke my mind out of its train of thought as Tomoyo-chan sat opposite of me across the table. "So Kotomi, tell me what's on your mind."

There was no time to waste, so I drove straight into the heart of the matter. "Well, it's about…Tomoya-kun…" There was this look of understanding on Tomoy-chan's voice, as if she knew he was going to be the topic of our conversation now.

"Okazaki, huh? By the way, if you don't mind me asking, how long have you known him for, Kotomi?"

"I've known Tomoya-kun since we were little kids. He's a childhood friend of mine."

"Ah, is that so?" I silently nodded my head in quiet approval. "Do you…like him?" Her words stabbed my heart, giving me pause. She was being direct with her questions as well. Tomoyo-chan was certainly not oblivious to my plight. I had a feeling that Tomoyo-chan would ask me that question, but even so, my silent hesitation spoke volumes of how much this issue was plaguing my thoughts. Considering that even I didn't know how to respond to her inquiry, I simply took a deep breath…before telling her the truth.

"I…I don't know for sure. I've always considered Tomoya-kun to be a close friend and nothing more...but lately…"

"…You've been having second thoughts?" The silver-haired girl was able to finish my thoughts before I could even summon them through words.

"Yes. Ever since I've been…reunited with Tomoya-kun, I've been…wondering…what my feelings are for him. He was my first and only friend when we were little kids. If it weren't for him, then I wouldn't have met Nagisa-chan, Kyou-chan, Ryou-chan, Sunohara-kun, and you as well, Tomoyo-chan. I'm perfectly content with remaining friends with Tomoya-kun and leaving it at that, but a part of me…is afraid."

"Afraid of what, Kotomi?"

"I…I don't want to lose my best friend…ever again. I lost Tomoya-kun once…and it was one of the saddest moments of my life. But, I remember…feeling _so_ happy when I saw him for the first time in years in the school library. I knew then and there…that I didn't want to be separated from him…ever again. It didn't matter to me if we were friends…or l-lovers…I just…want to be by his side, that's all. Unfortunately, this is where things become…a little more complicated."

"How so?"

"Um, could I ask you something first, Tomoyo-chan?" I never thought that I was capable of carrying a private conversation of such nature and yet, here I was, spilling my thoughts onto her. I felt a little proud and happy for myself, for it felt like a heavy weight was lifted off of me.

"Sure, go ahead." Tomoyo-chan's smile was warm and inviting. Despite the fact that I barely knew her, I felt that I could trust her in telling these sensitive thoughts of mine to her. Wanting to know more about her relationship to Tomoya-kun, I decided to be straightforward in my line of questioning.

"Do _you_ like Tomoya-kun?" I knew what her answer was going to be; I simply wanted to hear _how_ she was going to phrase it. But, a part of me had suspicions that Tomoyo-chan was going to give…a different answer. I saw…a wistful expression on her face as her eyebrows furrowed, her sapphire eyes on the table sharpening. There was a slight hesitation in her wanting to give me a proper answer. She was in deep thought, most likely contemplating and preparing an adequate answer for me. After several moments of complete silence, Tomoyo-chan finally spoke up, her eyes meeting mine head on with a quiet intensity burning inside those indigo orbs.

"…I like him…as a friend…but I don't know if I can _afford_ to be in that kind of relationship with him at the moment."

"Why not?" To be honest, I wasn't expecting such a response from Tomoyo-chan at all. My curiosity couldn't help but be raised as a result.

"Student council elections are coming up soon. If by some miracle I get elected president, then most of my time will be spent focusing on my duties. I don't think I can be in a romantic relationship with anyone during my tenure."

"Oh, I see." It was a weak response, but I didn't know what else to say to her. A part of me was happy to hear that, since that meant that there was one less person that was going to be involved in this entire mess. And yet, at the same time, a part of me felt saddened by the truth, because I knew that Tomoyo-chan would want to let her feelings for Tomoya-kun be known to him.

"Well, on the bright side, that means _you_ have a chance to be with him, Kotomi."

"But what about you, Tomoyo-chan? Don't _you_ have feelings for Tomoya-kun?"

"I…I might." Closing her eyes momentarily, I saw a defeated smile on her face as she looked at me with perplexing irony. "I guess we're in the same boat, then. Lately, I haven't stopped thinking about him. I guess…I really have fallen for him. But then again, it's kinda hard _not_ to fall for a guy like him."

"Yes, Tomoya-kun…is really kind and caring. Does that…make the two of us…rivals, Tomoyo-chan? I don't want to fight with my friends. Watching you and Kyou-chan arguing earlier…kinda scared me a little."

"I don't want to fight either, Kotomi, but it's seems to be inevitable at this point, since all of us have feelings for Okazaki in some way."

"I wish there was a way to peacefully resolve this. It would be nice if all of us could share Tomoya-kun…" If only life were that convenient, there would be no drama…

"You know that polygamy is illegal, right?" Tomoyo-chan must have interpreted that as a joke, for she was stifling a subdued laughter that was trying to escape from her lips.

"Yes, I'm well aware, but it couldn't hurt to postulate. At least, all of us would be happy." A part of me was serious about this scenario, however impractical it may be in actuality. We wouldn't have to fight; we would all be able to get along with each other.

"Yes, all of us would be happy. Things would be convenient…a little _too_ convenient, though. There's still one other problem that needs to be addressed first, though."

"Huh? What problem?"

"Okazaki…one day, after school, when me, him, and Sunohara were about to walk home together, he mentioned that he wasn't looking for a girlfriend."

"Why not?" Hearing those words shocked me on the inside. A male mentioning that he wouldn't want a girlfriend…it's not something a person would openly decide without good reason. I had a feeling Tomoyo-chan thought the same thing when Tomoya-kun told her that.

"Okazaki said that his home situation is a mess at the moment. He and his father…don't exactly get along at all."

"Speaking of his father, where _is_ Naoyuki-san anyway?"

"He said he was going to meet up with an old friend today. Other than that, he didn't really specify where he was going…" Tomoyo-chan was lost in deep thought once before, but before she could get anywhere, her eyes widened at a sudden realization as she looked at me with curious eyes. "Wait, you know Okazaki's father?"

"Yes, when we were still little, I did go over to Tomoya-kun's house a few times. I met his dad…and his mom as well. They were both very kind people, like my parents were. It's hard to believe…that Tomoya-kun and his father…don't get along anymore. And from the look of things, his mother is also gone too. Did she…pass away?" Unable to meet my gaze, Tomoyo-chan simply looked down towards the table in front of us, diverting her eyes from mine. Feeling that I had asked too personal a question, I mimicked her action, a small feeling of shame lingering inside of me.

"Okazaki…hasn't really mentioned anything about his mom to me. I guess we can both come to our own conclusions about what happened to her. It most likely explains the bitter relationship that those two share now."

"I wonder…if there's anything the two of us can do to help them." As my eyes turned upward to meet Tomoyo-chan's body, I saw her sapphire eyes staring depressingly at the table in front of us. I knew that something else was troubling her, but Tomoyo-chan spoke before I had the opportunity to inquire myself.

"I know what it's like…to be in a dysfunctional family. I can relate to Okazaki in a sense. At least, that's what I want to believe. There was a time in my life where my parents didn't get along. Things just kept getting worse and worse between the two of them. It eventually got to a point where my parents were planning on getting a divorce. It wasn't until my brother…did something foolishly courageous that my parents reconsidered the idea. We finally became a real family for the very first time after that incident."

"I think...I can relate to Tomoya-kun's situation as well. I lost…both of my parents in a tragic accident when I was a little child…"

"I'm sorry to hear that, Kotomi."

"You don't need to apologize on my behalf. I'm sure…that my mother and father…wouldn't want me to grieve for them for the rest of my life. After my parents died, my godfather Aoyama-san came to raise me. Of course, I didn't know who he was back then. I thought that he was a bad man who came to take my parents' research. He tried to explain to me that he was a colleague of my parents and was now my legal guardian, but I…I was too upset over my parents dying to listen to anything he told me. Over the years, I limited my contact with Aoyama-san, keeping silent during the few times he visited my house. It wasn't until recently that I was able to overcome my fear of him and finally come to terms with my own past…and I couldn't have done it…without Tomoya-kun there with me."

"Sounds like you owe him a lot, huh?"

"Yes, I'm very grateful that Tomoya-kun is my friend. I…I want to try…to fix the relationship between him and his father. I think it's the least I can do for him, after everything he's done for me."

"Do you think I could be of some help?"

"Sure, I don't mind at all. I don't think this is going to be easy at all, so I could use all the assistance I can find."

"I'm going to go look around Tomoya-kun's house for a bit."

"Sure, let me go get my things. I'll meet up with you by his room."

The two of us went our separate ways for a bit as I went looking around the house, trying to familiarize myself with the layout. With each step that I took, foreign hallways and furniture became more familiar to me, slowly rekindling small fragmented memories of my brief time in this house. Drawing from my memory, I was able to find Tomoya-kun's room with great ease. His room was on the second floor, left of the top of the stairs. Sliding open the door to his room, I met a very recognizable sight. A plain old white mattress with a wooden bed frame was adjacent to a desk. Two metal shelves with a radio resting atop on the left shelf were on the eastern side of his room, with books and journals filled to the brimmed, leaving little space for any more to be added. A charcoal black desk resting adjacent to the bed was where I assumed Tomoya-kun did most of his homework. Teal curtains kept the sunlight from outside from pervading the room except for a tiny sliver down the middle.

I remember coming into this room back in my younger days. Tomoya-kun and I would play in this room quite often, either watching TV or simply playing video games. Even though those happy times were brief and a distant memory, I would never forget the joy that I felt whenever I was with him. There were times where I fantasized myself being back in those days of yesteryear, when the world was much simpler to me, when my parents were still alive, when Tomoya-kun still got along with his father.

Unaware that I was staring off into space, my mind jolted back into reality again, finding myself standing by the door to Tomoya-kun's room. Regardless as to how much time has passed since then, I knew deep down that there were some things in the world that would always remain, that endure with time, that…

"Some things…never change." It came as a soft whisper, speaking to no one in particular.

"Ah, I see you found his room." Slowly canting my head around me, I wasn't aware that Tomoyo-chan was standing behind me.

"Yes, well, I have been inside of his room before. Tomoya-kun and I used to play around in here sometimes."

"I've been waking him in the morning for the past few days now."

"Really?"

"Uh-huh. I've been coming over here in the mornings to wake him up, even before his suspension."

"If you don't mind me asking, what exactly happened?" Ryou-chan had given a brief explanation of Tomoya-kun's suspension yesterday at school, but beyond that, I wasn't aware of the exact details surrounding the incident.

"Sunohara messed around with the wrong people while he, Tomoya, and I were walking home one day. And those punks decided to pay us a visit after school. I was the one who did most of the fighting, but Okazaki took the blame for it to save me."

"That's something that Tomoya-kun would do, that's for sure."

"Yes, it is. Coming over here, waking him up every morning, making sure he gets to school on time…I figured…it's the least I can do for him after what happened."

"Is that…the only thing you do?"

"Well, I make breakfast for myself, Okazaki and his father as we-Wait, what exactly were you thinking, Kotomi?"

"Well…you _are_ alone whenever you go to wake Tomoya-kun up, and he is sleeping, so-"

"Wait, it's not what you think!" Before I could continue on, Tomoyo-chan had interrupted me, a visible blush accompanying eyes filled with disbelief.

"Wait, what is?" My head canted to the side as I waited for a reaction.

"Uh…" Her eyes had darted off to the side, avoiding mine.

"What did you think I was about to say, Tomoyo-chan?"

"This…I think this is just one big misunderstanding. Ehehe…"

"Misunderstanding?" My head unconsciously titled towards the other side in confusion. What did Tomoyo-chan think I was implying to begin with? Did she believe that I was implying something of a…sexual nature? Coming upon that epiphany, my cheeks instantly flushed, mirroring the girl standing next to me. A heavy air now permeated between Tomoyo and I, making it difficult for either of us to speak up in fear of embarrassment.

"I wonder…if Nagisa-chan will be able to revive the Drama Club." I hoped that a change in topic would alleviate the both of us, and it seemed to have worked.

"She's the one who Okazaki is trying to help revive the club for, right?"

"Yes, that's correct. Have the two of you met before?"

"I'm…not sure. I remember…back at the Founder's Festival, I saw a brunette-haired girl with Okazaki." **[2]**

"Yes, that's Nagisa-chan, all right."

"I think I also ran into her in the hallways as well. She was with Okazaki then, too. Well, the two of us never really got the chance to talk."

"Do you want to go visit her? She's currently sick with a small fever, so I was planning on visiting her. I'm sure that she would be happy and grateful to have company. Also, I wanted to talk to her as well. Maybe you can come with me and talk with her as well."

"I would rather leave her alone, so that she can rest up…but if you think seeing her will cheer her up, then I'll tag along, too."

"Nagisa-chan is probably the closest person to Tomoya-kun. She'll most certainly know things about him that we don't. I was hoping to ask her a few things. Is it safe to assume that you also want to inquire her about Tomoya-kun?"

"Yes, it's safe to make that assumption. But, like you said, she's sick with a fever, even if it's a mild one. The last thing I would want is to cause her any more stress. I'll probably ask her a few things and be on my way."

"Should we be leaving soon?"

"Yes, that we should." As I closed the door to his room, the two of us made our way to the front of the house. Locking the door before leaving, the two of us were now out on the pavement of the sidewalk.

"Wait, I don't know where Furukawa lives."

"I can show you the way, Tomoyo-chan."

"Thank you, it would be much appreciated." She gave me a courteous bow as a slight breeze rustled her silvery-brown hair and her gray skirt. I lead the way as Tomoyo-chan followed me from behind, the soft pattering of our shoes giving rhythm to our steps. Ten minutes later, Tomoyo-chan had moved to my side as the two of us continued walking side by side. There were no words that were exchanged between the two of us. We simply enjoyed the serene splendor of Mother Nature. The chirping of the birds and cicadas, the gentle cool breeze that cooled our hair and clothes, the occasional pedestrian walking in the opposite direction, I felt that today…was going to be a productive day for me. At least, that's what my mind believed.

Belief, like fear or love, is a force to be understood as we understand the theory of relativity and principles of uncertainty, phenomena that determine the course of our lives. Yesterday, my life was headed in one direction. Today, it is headed in another. Yesterday, I believed I would never have done what I did today. These forces that often remake time and space, that can shape and alter who we imagine ourselves to be, begin long before we are born and continue after we perish. Our lives and our choices, like quantum trajectories, are understood from moment to moment. At each point of intersection, each encounter suggests a new potential direction. **[3]**

As the two of us silently walked to the Furukawa bakery, my mind arrived at the one obvious supposition that would explain everything that I had felt up until now: I have fallen in love…with my childhood friend, Tomoya Okazaki.

Was that…possible? I had just…met Tomoya-kun again after all these years, and yet…I felt…like something important, something…life-altering…has happened to me. It was…something rare, something that I wanted to reach out and claim for my own. I knew…that if I let this slipped away, I would regret it for the rest of my life.

Even though I'm not the only one who loves Tomoya-kun, even though…he might not reciprocate my feelings for him, as long as he was happy with someone, with _anyone_, regardless as to who that person would turn out to be, I knew…that I could find the strength to smile for him, even if it would make me a little sad on the inside. As long as I could be near him…that would be enough for me.

My head peered over to my right ahead to look at Tomoyo-chan as we both continued walking in peace. She would be a much better option as Tomoya-kun's lover…than I would be. I felt…conflicted, happy and sad at the same time. I shouldn't be making assumptions as to what kind of person Tomoya-kun looks for in a girlfriend, but a part of me was pessimistic about my chances. I didn't realize that I was staring at her at that point and it was a tiny miracle that I hadn't stumbled on the breaks or cracks in the sidewalk, tripped, fallen, or walked into anyone or anything at that point. She apparently noticed my gaze, as she simply smiled at me without asking me a single thing. I merely returned her gesture with a tender smile of my own.

…Tomoyo-chan…is a really fascinating person.

* * *

><p>What does it mean…to be a parent? What does it mean to bring a child into this world? To raise that child? To watch it grow before our very eyes? To see it stumble, fall, and rise? To love it with all of our heart? I remember asking myself those questions back when I first married Akio-san. The two of us wanted to have a child of our own, but we didn't have any experience with children in general, much less <em>raising<em> one. He and I wed shortly after we graduated from high school. Most people would tell us that we were foolishly rushing into marriage. Both of us were in a hurry to grow up, even though we didn't fully understand why. Our parents were rather upset with our impulsive decision. It took a lot of begging from Akio-san to in order to convince them both that we were fully committed to each other and were both ready to accept whatever the consequences that our decision may have on their and our lives.

_I still remember…that one night…where we were both lying in our futons, naked under the covers. It was our first night…together. My right arm reached out to grab his hand as we were lying in our separate futons that were next to each other. My eyes were starting to close on me, exhaustion slowly overtaking us both. I mustered up whatever remaining strength I had to stay conscious, to smile…at Akio-san._

_"Thank you…"_

_"Did I…do okay?" There was an embarrassed frown on my husband's face when he asked me that. Considering that…that was our first time, I couldn't blame him for wondering whether or not he was…adequate enough for me. To this very day, Akio-san rarely shown that side of himself to anyone else, even me. _

_"You did wonderful, dear." I moved my entire body closer to Akio-san's as he gently draped his left arm around me, pressing me firmly against him. _

_"Sanae?" _

_"Yes, dear?"_

_"…Stay with me…always…" I couldn't help but giggle at his concern for me. _

_"Always…So, please…don't ever worry about that, okay? Akio-san…do you think…we're ready to be parents?" I wanted to know whether or not he had the same concerns that I did. Akio-san took one deep breath before responding. _

_"…I won't lie to you, Sanae. I have my doubts that I'll be able to do it, but…you'll help me, right?"_

_"Of course, we are married after all. We're both going to have to rely on each other for support if we want to make this work." My ears were now pressed against his chest as I could faintly hear and feel the slow beating of his heart. It was a steady, rhythmic pulse like the pendulum on a grandfather clock. Time was irrelevant to me in that moment. Being beside Akio-san like that was comforting to me as I knew intimate encounters like those would not last forever. I had to make the most of such precious moments._

Even with all the heavy thoughts that were burdening me right now, I couldn't help but smile at that…intimately fond memory that I shared with my husband. It was the only form of solace for me right now from my worries for Nagisa. Piece by piece, I unloaded the tray full of bread onto the glass display with the scooper in my hand. A pair of footsteps gradually increasing in volume alerted me to an incoming presence. Turning my head towards the source of the noise, I saw a hand gently parting the noren **[4]** to the side, revealing the obvious to me.

"Akio-san."

"Good morning, Sanae. What's wrong? You don't look so well." He must've noticed the glum look on my face then and there. My concerns were weighing so heavily on me, I forgot to put on a cheery façade. Even if I had tried, he would've known that something was bothering me. I've never been the best at hiding my emotions, especially from my husband.

"It's…about Nagisa."

"About what happened last night?"

"I…I wanted to console her. I don't want to see our daughter cry like that." A mother…watching her daughter cry and being unable to do anything to console her…it was one of the most painful things a mother could feel, that feeling of helplessness. Akio-san's right arm reached out to me as he put his right hand on my shoulder.

"I know it's painful, Sanae. But you have to understand, unless Nagisa decides to tell us about it, we can't really meddle in her affairs. I'm sorry."

"It's okay. I'm just worried about her."

"I know…" Akio-san's voice was a whisper now as he wrapped his arms around my small body, comforting me from my worried thoughts. "…I know."

"I think we're lucky…to have a daughter like Nagisa, you know? Most teenagers usually keep to themselves or outright rebel at this point in their lives. Nagisa…is different. She never gets angry at us. We never really argued with her as well. "

"Yeah, I know what you mean. I guess that means…that we've been good to her…haven't we?"

"Yes, I believe so. I want to believe that, but I wish Nagisa would talk to us about what's going on in her mind right now. I know that she doesn't want us worrying about her, but being secretive like that is only hurting her more and more."

"Are we any better, Sanae?" We're keeping one pretty big secret from Nagisa. Do we have any right? We have to trust in her, that she'll come around and talk to us whenever she's ready."

Hearing Akio-san mention about the incident, I thought back on our younger days. We were both diligently busy with our jobs. But, as a result, we neglected our responsibility as parents to look after Nagisa. A near-death experience with our daughter…changed both of our lives forever...

"I'm sorry…if I seem harsh."

"It's okay, Akio-san. I know that you're just doing what you think is best."

"I blame all of this on the brat." Upon hearing my husband using that derisive term to describe a certain boy, I was quick to come to his defense.

"Tomoya-san? But you can't really blame him for this."

"But he's the reason our daughter was crying last night to begin with!"

"But it's not like Tomoya-san intentionally made Nagisa upset. You shouldn't be so harsh on him."

"Why are you defending him anyway?"

"Tomoya-san is a gentle-hearted person, who is also close friends with our daughter. He reminds me of you in a lot of ways, Akio-san."

"Me and him…similar? Are you crazy?"

"No, I'm being serious. Tomoya-san is like a spitting image of you, Akio-san."

"I honestly can't see it. I probably don't want to, either." My husband looked away from me, his eyes closed and his arms crossed, a visibly irritated pout adorning his face.

"I figured as much." I couldn't help but giggle at his childish demeanor. As much as Akio-wanted to deny it, he and Tomoya-san are a lot alike.

_Tomoya Okazaki…I still remember the day…or rather night…that I first laid eyes upon him. I was surprised to see a customer stopping by the bakery at that time of the night._

_"Hello? Is anyone here?" A young boy with dark blue hair had stepped into the bakery with an unassuming look of slight nervousness in his face, as if he was wondering whether or not he was at the right place. My chocolate brown eyes immediately took notice of the clothes that he was wearing on his person. A pale yellow blazer with a white shirt underneath, with a red tie to top things off…upon noticing the third-year emblem that was stitched onto his left breast pocket, I suddenly realized that not only did he attended the same high school that Nagisa did, the boy was also in the same grade as well. Naturally, I assumed that he was a fellow classmate, or better yet, her actual friend. Of course, I didn't want to say anything if I was wrong. The embarrassment would have driven me out of the store in an instant. But I was brimming with hopeful optimism that my daughter had finally made a new friend, and a boy nonetheless as well! _

_"That's our new item this week."Tomoya-san was now holding up one of my bread as he was observing it with stern curiosity as he reached out to grab it. _

_"It would just thrill me if you'd take a bite!" Holding it in his right head, Tomoya-san was now sniffing the bread, taking in its scent. I didn't see any indications on his face that the bread was off-putting, so I kept urging him on to try my creation. _

_"You needn't pay for it. It's just a leftover. The concept behind it is the word, 'calmness.'"_

_"Calmness? Okay, then. I think I'll give one a try." As he took a single bite, I couldn't help but gleefully grin at a new person trying out my culinary pastries. A loud crunch echoed throughout the building as I continued to watch him gradually eat the bread away. _

_"There's a rice cracker inside. I call it the Crispy Crackly Rice Cracker bun!"_

_"This may be the strangest name for a pastry, but the taste is even stranger than the name is."_

_"It is, isn't it? It was a winning idea!" As Tomoya-san kept chewing in silence, my mind grew worried that the bread wasn't to his liking. "What's wrong? You don't like the bun?"_

_"What isn't wrong? I'm gonna have to be really honest. This thing is a total disaster!"_

_"What?! Isn't it tasty?"_

_"There's a problem with the taste, yes. But it's just too hard to eat. It's obvious to me why these travesties haven't sold yet. Ah!" Tears were welling up inside of me as his blunt honesty tore my heart to pieces. _

_"You don't…like my pastries? My homemade…pastries?" I was choking back tears at this point, doing my best to maintain face… _

_"Just... just a..."_

_"So it's plain to see why they haven't sold!" …But it proved futile in the end. I remember running outside into the street and into the darkness of the night. I didn't run to any particular location; I just…wanted to get away. I knew that I still had a long way to go before my bread would even taste remotely good, let alone great, but I was surprised to see Tomoya being so completely blunt about how they tasted. I've always been terrible at hearing any criticisms being directed my way, even if those same criticisms were not born from hatred or malice but of genuine concern. Just hearing anything negative would put a damper in my spirits and a bruise on my self-esteem. Everyone who knew me and my husband kept quiet about the bread's actual taste out of consideration for my feelings. But this was the first time that Tomoya-san had met me, so he wouldn't know of this…unspoken rule that everyone in the neighborhood had subconsciously abided me. But hearing him be so honest about it, knowing that he had no reason to lie to me about the bread's flavor, it made me smile on the inside. He could've lied to me out of courtesy, but instead, he chose the path of honesty. That was the night…that Tomoya-san caught my undivided attention. _

"But…"

"Huh?" I didn't think Akio-san would add anything further beyond what he just mentioned earlier, so I was intrigued as to what he was going to say next. Hearing him say "but" meant that there was at least a second thought that made him reconsider his previous statement.

"…As much as I don't want to admit this, I owe that kid my life. For the first time in ages, Nagisa actually comes home with a smile on her face." That much, I know for a fact.

"Tomoya-san…certainly has had a huge influence on Nagisa, hasn't he? I certainly wouldn't mind having him as a son-in-law." The thought of having Tomoya-san as a son-in-law was a very pleasing one indeed. I couldn't help but grin at such that idea that suddenly entered my mind. Akio-san must have noticed it, for he gave me a somewhat puzzled look of disgust.

"Uh, aren't you jumping the gun a little, Sanae?"

"Maybe…but it's certainly a nice thought, wouldn't you agree?" Before my husband could give a proper answer to my question, we both heard the front door to the bakery opening. Our gazes met the eyes of two girls, one with indigo and the other with lavender.

"Hello, and good evening." Both girls simultaneously greeted us both as they bowed before us.

"Ah, you're one of Nagisa's friends, aren't you?" I recognized the girl with the purple hair, but not the one with the silver hair. She had stopped by the bakery once before.

"Yes, my name is Kotomi Ichinose from class 3-A. It's very nice to meet you two again. I was hoping…would it be okay if my friend and I here were to meet with Nagisa-chan right now? I know that she's sick, but we thought that having company around might cheer her up."

"I'm Tomoyo Sakagami, a junior at Hikarizaka. I'm more of an acquaintance of Furukawa-san than an actual friend, but I would like to be to become closer with your daughter." Both girls spoke with a heartfelt eloquence that told me of their kindness. I was happy that my daughter could come to know such people in her life.

"We're glad that you two stopped by. Nagisa might still be sleeping, so let's go check up on her." Before Akio-san could take another step, I stopped him in his tracks, giving him a look of slight disapproval.

"Akio-san, we haven't properly introduced ourselves to Tomoyo-chan here." Turning my attention from my husband to Tomoyo-chan, I replicated her earlier action of bowing. "I'm Nagisa's mother, Sanae Furukawa, and this is my husband, Akio Furukawa. Please follow us, and thank you for being so considerate of her well-being."

"We should be the ones thanking _you_, Furukawa-san."

"Please, call me Sanae. You needn't be so formal."

"Yeah, same here. Sanae and I aren't too strict about formalities to begin with. You can call me Akio."

"Thank you…Sanae-san…Akio-san." The four of us made our way up the stairs as we quietly walked towards Nagisa's room, stopping short of opening the door. Knocking on the door gently, I called out to her, wondering if she was still asleep.

"Nagisa, are you awake yet?"

"Oh, good morning, mom. I thought I heard someone downstairs."

"Yes, you did. You have some company, dear."

"Company? Who?" Upon opening the door, I was greeted with the sight of my daughter was still asleep, her hair slightly ruffled from sleep. It wasn't until Nagisa stared at the sight of a waving Kotomi-chan and smiling Tomoyo-chan that she realized that she was in the presence of others, as a small blush found its way onto her cheeks.

"Ah, Kotomi-chan, Sakagami-san, good morning! I…uh…need to get ready first. Could you two…wait a few moments?"

"Sure, sorry that we barged in like that, Furukawa."

"It's okay. Please, don't worry about it. And you can call me Nagisa."

"Heh, I'll do it…on one condition."

"Huh, what condition?"

"Please address me by my first name. I don't think it's right for friends to be too formal."

"Um, Tomoyo-san?"

"That still might be a little too formal. And technically speaking, you're in a grade above me. If anything, I should be calling you Furukawa-senpai."

"No, no, that's okay! Hearing you say that, it sounds…really strange. I think I understand what you mean."

"Then…Nagisa should be fine, yes?"

"Hehe, okay then…Tomoyo-chan."

"Okay, we'll be waiting outside your room then…Nagisa."

As the four of us were waiting outside of Nagisa's room, we decided to make some small idle talk. Akio-san and I inquired our two guests about how they knew our daughter. Tomoyo-chan explained that she had briefly run into her at the Founder's Festival a few weeks ago. On the other hand, Kotomi-chan was a person that Tomoya-san had introduced to Nagisa as a prospective member for the Drama Club.

"Kotomi-chan, Tomoyo-chan, I'm ready. Sorry to keep you two waiting." Upon hearing her voice, I simply smiled at the two girls as they bowed before entering Nagisa's room.

"It's okay, Nagisa-chan. I hope you're feeling better." Kotomi-chan was the first to enter her room with Tomoyo-chan following behind. She gave both my husband and I a polite bow before gently closing the door.

"Wait here, Sanae." Turning my attention over to Akio-san, I noticed that his voice was merely a whisper now, unlike his usual boisterous self, as he hurriedly but quietly made his way downstairs. My head couldn't help but tilt slightly to the right as I wondered what he was up to. It wasn't until he returned with two glass cups in both of his hands that I immediately understood what he was planning.

"Are you really planning on eavesdropping on our daughter and her two friends?" My voice had dropped to a whisper as well, as I didn't want to draw any attention from anyone inside of Nagisa's room.

"I'm worried…and I know you're worried, too. That's why…I have to know what's bugging Nagisa."

"This doesn't feel right at all. We're invading her privacy here."

"If you don't wanna listen, then that's fine with me. I won't blame you."

"Are the cups really necessary? The doors aren't too thick."

"Just let me have my fun, Sanae!" Akio-san's exclamation was a subdued, harsh whisper with a childishly pleading tone in it. I couldn't but quietly laugh at my husband's remark. I had to cover my mouth with my left hand to keep myself from being exposed. He was definitely a goofball with a juvenile sense of humor at times, but it was moments like these that make me appreciate him more. Even in his silliness, there was something…genuinely kind about him. It was a quality that I also found in Tomoya-san as well. Akio-san offered me the cup in his right hand as I reluctantly accepted as we both softly pressed it against the door, our faces now facing each other and our ears intensely focusing on the occupants inside of the room.

"So, what brings you two over on a Sunday morning?"

"Well, there's something that I want to talk to you about. Do you mind hearing me out, Nagisa?"

"Sure, I don't mind. Kotomi-chan, are you over here for the same reason as well?"

"Yes, Tomoyo-chan and I both figured that you can be the one to help us out."

"Really? I'm not sure if I could be of any help at all. You two are much smarter than me, Kotomi-chan especially."

"You should give some more credit to yourself, Nagisa. I'm definitely sure you're more knowledgeable in this case."

"Well, if you really believe that I can help you, then…I'll give it my best. What's on your mind right now?"

"It's about…" Kotomi-chan's voice…just simply stopped then and there. I couldn't help but ponder why she hesitated. It must've been something that really troubled her. The fact that both Kotomi-chan and Tomoyo-chan were confident that Nagisa was the only one who could help them…my mind came to one conclusion. It definitely had to be about…

"…Tomoya-kun."

…I knew it.

* * *

><p>A yawned escaped from my mouth as my blurred eyes were greeted with the scenery of the park. From the soft swaying of the leaves to the rushing water from the fountain the pond, everything and everyone was serene and quiet. The faint sounds of laughter were off in the distance. Kids must have been playing somewhere quite a ways away from where I was. And then I realized…<p>

Everything was lop-sided.

Realizing that my head was now resting upon a perpendicular angle, my head tilted slightly before seeing Ryou's surprised but endearing smile. Another yawn involuntarily escaped as my right immediately rushed to cover my mouth, a blush now pervading my face.

"Hehe, good morning, Tomoya-kun."

"Good mor—wait…I thought I was sleeping on your shoulder."

"Well, I finished eating a while ago, and I decided that maybe it would be more comfortable for you if you…rested your head on my lap for a bit."

"Yeah, I have to admit…it did feel great. I'm not used to waking up this early on a Sunday morning. Sorry for falling asleep like that."

"You needn't apologize. I…had fun."

"Really? From just watching me…sleep?" My right eyebrow arched in confusion, her answer puzzling to me. I couldn't wrap my head around the idea that she got any entertainment out of just watching me sleep with a silent patience, but it wasn't like she did anything to me, so it was a moot point.

"I thought…you looked really…cute and peaceful…just sleeping there. It made me…really happy."

"I didn't really do anything…but I'm glad that I could make you happy." I smiled at Ryou's face, reassuring her that I didn't held any contempt for her observing me in slumber. I closed my eyes again, reveling in the peacefulness that I now found myself in.

"What are you thinking about, Tomoya-kun?"

"Lots of thing, to be honest." I still kept my eyes closed as I vainly tried to fall back asleep but to no avail.

"Like what?" Her question came out a tender whisper. I knew that there was an earnest curiosity behind her inquiry that wasn't going to die until she received a satisfactory answer from me. Keeping one eyelid closed while opening the other, my indigo eyes met her sapphire.

"It's…a little embarrassing to admit, but…I never really noticed…how lovely your eyes are."

"U-u-um…" My random compliment drew a furious blush gracing her face, as her eyes darted left and right in flustered nervousness, her speech stammered by the throat. I couldn't resist the urge to grin at the amusing sight before my very eyes. I don't think I would ever get tired of embarrassing Ryou anytime soon.

"But then again, I don't make it a habit to stare at people's eyes to begin with." In hindsight, that compliment was as cheesy and clichéd as a pickup line can get…but I was being honest. Saying it any other way wouldn't have changed much, if anything at all.

"Hehe, um, thank you, Tomoya-kun. I'm glad…you feel that way." The two of us remained silent as I soaked the quietness of nature around me, letting Mother Nature's voice sooth my ears. My eyes closed once more.

"Tomoya-kun, what's wrong?"

It wasn't until I opened my eyes that I realized that my vision was slightly blurred, slightly…watery. Ryou's right index finger gently brushed a stray tear away from my right cheek and eye. "Were you…crying?"

"I guess I wasn't even aware of it until now. Sorry, maybe I'm just really sleepy." I saw the look of concern on her face. I didn't want her to worry, so I simply voiced my thoughts to her. "I think…simple moments in life like these…are the ones people tend to take for granted the most. I know…that these moments…aren't going to last forever, so I want to enjoy them while I still can."

"I think I can understand. All of us will be graduating soon. Have you thought about what you wanted to do after graduation, Tomoya-kun?"

"Truth be told, I can't say I have given the future much thought myself."

"Well, uh...there's no need to rush."

"I don't know about that. If all I did was sit around and do nothing, I think you might be a little disappointed in me."

"That's…that's not true at all! No matter what happens, I'll never be disappointed in you. Just…please be yourself."

"Be myself, huh?"

"You told me earlier…how I should just…be myself, that I shouldn't have to worry about measuring up to onee-chan."

"That I did. Never thought my advice would be turned back towards me that quickly, though. But, thank you, Ryou."

"You're welcome, Tomoya-kun."

"You patting my head…and wiping my tear away…it reminded me of my mom for a brief moment."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"Speaking of your parents, where are they anyway? I didn't see either of them this morning…and I remember…Sakagami-san mentioning that you and your father don't get along." Upon hearing Ryou mentioning the topic of my father, I froze, petrified that she even remembered the conversation from this morning. Earlier, Tomoyo had accidentally revealed that bad blood existed between my father and me.

"Do you…really want to know?"

"If it's too personal, then I'll stop asking. Please forgive me." Her response came quick and abrupt. I wanted to reassure her that it wasn't her fault.

"You…you don't need to apologize. I guess…the truth will have to come out…sooner or later. I've only told Nagisa about this."

"No one else knows about this?"

"Yeah, you're going to be the second person that I'm telling this to."

"…Thank you, Tomoya-kun, for trusting me this much. I feel…so honored."

"We're friends…and an unofficial couple as well. It's the least I can do for you." I closed my eyes as I told Ryou my history. "My mom…her name was Atsuko Okazaki. She was a kind and loving mother. She was strict, but she always showed compassion as well. She died when I was young in a car accident. Because of that, my…father…he drowned himself in liquor to numb the pain of his loss. He just wanted…to escape from it all. I'm sure you know…what too much alcohol can do to certain people." I heard a sudden gasp escape from her. I couldn't bear to look Ryou's sapphire eyes, so my eyelids slowly closed themselves shut. I became quiet as my lips trembled, my voice now dulled into a harsh whisper, somewhat brazen in its tone.

"My right shoulder was injured as a result. I couldn't join the basketball team as a result…and I've resented my father ever since. The reason that my father wasn't home this morning…was because he said he was meeting up with an old friend. I don't really care where he went. The further the two of us keep our distance from each other, the better." There was a long and awkward silence that now engulfed us both as the breeze rustled the trees and the chirping cicadas filled the air. With each passing second, with each beating of my heart, things became dreadful and dreadful more. Those last few words that escaped from my mouth…I was pretty sure Ryou could hear the bitter poison emanating from them. It most likely gave her pause. I wondered…what did Ryou felt when I told her about my relationship with my father and the history behind it? Pity? Sympathy? My answer came in the form of sudden warm droplets of liquid that lightly splashed against my face.

Sadness. Genuine sadness.

My eyes opened up to see Ryou's sullen face. Her piercing blue eyes were…full of sorrow, the same kind that I found myself in sometimes. Watery, like the water in the pond that was near us, like the morning dew on the tress, like drops of water falling from the skies. Her cheeks were slightly scrunched up from the salty tears in her eyes. I didn't know why Ryou was crying. I was the one who was stricken with grief, not her. Was she sad…that I kept quiet about my personal life this entire time? Or was she sad that she felt powerless to help me in any meaningful way? It wasn't my intention to ever make her cry. It was painful, unbearable to look at straight on, but I had to. I made her cry and I needed to see this for myself. She might've asked for my story, but I was the one who made the decision to tell her. Guilt was brimming inside of me, flaring up my skin, slowly eating away at my flesh from the inside. I knew that like Nagisa, Ryou was emotionally fragile, but I never thought my story would drive her to tears like those. I should've known better, but still…I wanted someone, _anyone_ to just listen to me, to partly shoulder this pain that was lingering in my heart for years. I was desperate to find solace in someone. Nagisa was sick, so I couldn't rely on her at this moment. I know that I may sound selfish…but Ryou was the only other person that I could confide in at the moment. I instinctively reached up to brush her tear away, reciprocating her earlier action in full.

"Please, don't cry for my sake. I don't think I deserve it. I'm…already sad as it is. I don't want you joining me." I did my best to console her. She agreed to my outlandish plan with zero hesitation. It takes a true friend…or a truer lover…to be able to do that. I didn't know if my words could comfort her, but I didn't care. I had to say something to fix my mistake.

"I'm your friend...and your girlfriend as well, Tomoya-kun. So please, don't suffer by yourself. When you can't stand... please, lean on me... I'll... I'll do my best to support you in any way that I can. When you want to cry, please, don't hold back." Her right hand cradled the left side of my cheek as I leaned my head into it.

"Hold onto me…for as long as you want. I'll hold you so no one hears it. I'll always be with you when you're lonely." I could feel the softness of her thumb gently caressing, massaging my cheek as I allowed myself to drown in her benevolence.

"You're... not alone, Tomoya-kun. I'm here for you." Her whispery words were faint and soothing as I felt her slender fingers combing through my hair.

"It's been…ages…since anyone has said something like that to me. Thanks."

"Don't be afraid." Her right hand reached for my own, as I gripped it tightly with tender firmness. Her words were so soothing…my mind thought back to a happier moment of my childhood. I thought back to a time when my life wasn't so messed up, to where my father still treated me like a son instead of a stranger. I…I can vaguely remember…him holding my hand all the time when I was a kid, the same way that Ryou was now holding mine.

I slowly nuzzled my head against her abdomen, wanting to drown myself in the warmth of her slim body, closing my eyes to greet the darkness. A soft gasp escaped from her lips, clearly surprised at my sudden action. I had half-expected her to freak out or protest in embarrassment, but such a thing never came. I would imagine that she was blushing furiously at this point, but at the same time, there wasn't a single word that came out of her, so I assumed she was enjoying this as well. I could feel one of her hands cradling the back of my head. The other slowly tiptoed across my face with her smooth and slender fingers, carefully tracing every contour and curve at the tip. I wanted someone to comfort me from my pain, pain that was slowly blinding me with rage with the mere mention of my father. I never asked for this anger to build up, but my father changed when my mother died. He constantly drank alcohol to break away from reality. There were times when he got violent…and back then, I was far too young to understand then, and I probably still am to this day.

I…held onto Ryou's hand tighter, as tears were beginning to well up inside of me, threatening to drip down my face. I was on the verge of crying then and there, but I held on to my resolve to maintain face. But, as the seconds passed, my determination faltered, eventually to a crumble, giving way to a loud but subdued sob as I pressed my face firmly against Ryou's abdomen, wanting no one else to hear me but her alone. I felt so vulnerable and weak, but I was desperate for someone's loving embrace. I wondered what Ryou was thinking about as I released my tears that were slowly beginning to stain her white dress. She probably wouldn't have guessed in a million years that I was suffering this much on the inside. We all have our masks that we put up for everyone to fool everyone. It takes someone really unique to be able to look beyond our masks. And I knew…that Ryou was something special…when I heard sobbing that was not my own, as I felt a droplet fall onto my black hair.

She was crying with me at that very moment.

The two of us…two friends, who were also boyfriend and girlfriend, together in our weeping misery, we found a small measure of peace under the shade of a tree on a park bench. Time was irrelevant to me then and there. I didn't want this moment to end any time soon. Even though I knew that nothing in this world lasts forever, I wanted to stay by Ryou's side for just a bit longer. We stayed in sheer silence for what felt like an hour after we had calmed down. I didn't know for sure since I didn't bother to look at my watch.

"It's hard to believe…that we're really…boyfriend and girlfriend…right, Tomoya-kun?" Ryou was the one who finally broke the silence between us. Opening my eyes, I saw Ryou's azure eyes, brightly beaming at me with a kind smile, her face dried of her tears. She probably had a handkerchief in her bag that she used to clean herself up with.

"Yeah, it's kinda unbelievable. We were just hanging out in the park as friends one moment…and now, we're a couple. Are you really okay with this?"

"Yes, I'll work together with you to make this plan work. Please, don't worry about me."

"Okay, I won't. I just want to make sure, that's all."

"It feels…kinda weird…since we're keeping our relationship a secret." I couldn't help but quietly chuckle at her statement, the urge to make a snarky remark imminent.

"I guess you'll just have to practice your flirting skills then."

"W-wait, I-I…don't really know…how to flirt to begin with." I couldn't help but laugh at the flustered state she was now in, clearly unable to give me a proper answer.

"It's okay. Just hang out with me more around school.

"Do you mind if I ask you something?"

"What's up?"

"Ever since we…kissed, I get this strange feeling that we're being watched."

"Could it be…onee-chan? But she said that she would give us some alone time."

"Yeah, she might've said that, but knowing her, she still probably tagged along in secret. She really does take your safety very seriously. Knowing her, she's probably spying on us from far away."

"Onee-chan…has been very protective of me. She's been that way ever since we were little. I know that I'm her younger sister, but sometimes…I wished onee-chan could see…"

"…just how much you've grown?" I decided to finish her sentence, to see if what I was right in my thinking. Ryou simply nodded her head, confirming what I already knew.

"Yes. I'll…I'll always look up to my sister for guidance and advice and support, but I can't rely on her forever, you know?"

I nodded my head in return, understanding what it was that she had felt. Despite the fact that the Fujibayashi sisters were twins, Ryou was her own person. They might share a few similarities, but those two couldn't be any more different from one another. I got the feeling…that Ryou had been in her sister's shadow for a long time and had always dreamt of showing Kyou just what she was truly capable of on her own. I smiled at her as I looked into her eyes once more. "I'm sure…you'll get the opportunity to show her someday."

"You really think so?"

"That's what I want to believe anyway. Hmm, can we go walking for a bit? I uh…wanna move to a different spot, you know what I mean?"

"To draw onee-chan out?"

"Well, there's only one way for us to find out." Standing up from the bench, my right hand stretched out to her. With her soft and slender fingers, she took hold of me. I could still see her familiar faint blush. By now, it was a natural sight that I have gotten used to seeing. I don't think there was a day where I couldn't recall her blushing around my presence. Still, it added something…unique to her. It separated Ryou from all of the other girls that I knew in my life.

"Um, do you…wanna hold hands?"

"But, what if…someone saw us?"

"Well, we are on a date…that your sister set up for us. We might as well play our part, right?"

"If…if you don't mind…could I?"

"Yeah, that's what I'm here for." Our hands joined, fingers laced together. "Tell me if you hear anything strange, okay?" She simply nodded. "I'll be on the lookout, too."

The two of us continued walking. There was nothing to indicate that there was anyone else spying on us. It unnerved me in a way that drove me to a quiet frustration in the back of my head. I had this gut feeling that we were being followed, or at the very least, being spied on from afar. Even though I didn't know have any physical evidence to prove it, I wouldn't be feeling this apprehensive otherwise. I knew I wasn't going crazy, but with each passing moment, I felt like calling out to our pursuer, wanting this little game to end. My mind improvised an idea on the spot to draw this person out.

"Let's head to the bus stop. We'll know for sure if we're being followed. You want some exercise?"

"Excersise? What fo-?" Before she could even finish asking her question, I had pulled Ryou with me as the two of us were now jogging away towards the nearest bus stop.

"Haha, sorry about that." My head quickly turned behind me to glance at Ryou as my legs propelled me forward. At the pace that we were moving at, the wind was blowing through her lavender hair, the white hair ribbon that was tied to the right side of her head fluttering in the breeze. I was simply greeted with an unabashed giggle from her.

"Hehe, it's okay. Though, you could've warned me first, Tomoya-kun." Her voice was a higher pitch than usual, most likely from the fact that she had been caught off caught by my sudden decision to run. I gave her an apologetic grin to compensate. Considering how genial Ryou is in general, I was pretty sure that she wouldn't harbor any ill feelings towards me for long. Turning my head back forward to focus on the path ahead, the grip of my left hand tightened around her right hand as our pace quickened. Pretty soon, we were out of the park and running on the pavement down the street. The thrilling rush of the wind blowing on our faces made us both laugh. Regardless as to whether or not Kyou will come out of hiding was of no concern to me at this one single moment. I didn't even care if people saw the two of us together like this. Today had barely started, and I was going to enjoy it to its fullest before returning to school tomorrow morning. The two of us just kept on running, running and running…

…As if we were an eloping couple.

* * *

><p><em><span>Footnotes<span>_:

**[1]** – 11:54 – 12:33 of episode 12 of the first season, **_Hidden World_** (**かくされた世界**, _Kakusareta Sekai) _I added a few events of my own to lead up to it.

**[2] – **They briefly met back in episodes 6 and 8, but they never exchanged actual words with each other.

**[3]** – A reference to the 2004 David Mitchell novel and its 2012 film adaptation by the Wachowski siblings and Tom Tykwer, **_Cloud Atlas_**.

**[4]** – From Wikipedia: **_Noren_** (暖簾) are traditional Japanese fabric dividers, hung between rooms, on walls, in doorways, or in windows. They usually have one or more vertical slits cut from the bottom to nearly the top of the fabric, allowing for easier passage or viewing. _Noren_ are rectangular and come in many different materials, sizes, colors, and patterns.

_Well, that's the end of chapter 6. If you actually made it to the end of this chapter, then I salute you for being able to put up with my story for this long. If it's not asking too much, any kind of feedback, be it pointing out spelling/grammar mistakes, suggestions, or just your thoughts and feelings on this chapter, anything would be great. All I ask is that you remain civil and keep things constructive. That's all. ^_^' I had a lot of fun writing Kotomi's part in this chapter, so here's hoping I at least portrayed her in a way that was similar to how she appeared in the anime series. Please do comment on how I did with her and Sanae's part if you do choose to leave a review._

_Remember to check my profile page every day to see how much progress I have made on the next chapter. It will go up the moment that number hits 100%. _


	7. Chapter 7

_2/14/2013__ (Last edited on 2/21/13, ironing out spelling mistakes and adding stuff in) – __Happy Valentine's Day. ^_^ Sorry for the delay. I hope this chapter doesn't disappoint… _

_Hello, people of FanFiction dot net. I'm back again, and it's the first chapter of 2013! It's been exactly one whole year since Chapter 1 first went up! Never thought I would still be here writing this story, but I'm definitely glad that I am. From everyone who has left a review, followed, and/or added this story to their Favorites list, thank you; it's because of you that I'm still here. It motivates me to continue onward with this story. ^_^_

_And with that, here is chapter 7: _

_Paragraphs in italics denote a flashback. Single words in italics / single words in regular print during a flashback denote emphasis and should be read as such.  
><span>Chapter rated T for<span>: Mild language and thematic material  
><span>Genre<span>: Comedy/Drama/Romance/Slice of Life  
><span>Pairing(s)<span>: (At the moment) Tomoya x Ryou (Of course, they're only pretending to be a couple for Tomoya's plan, but it still counts.)  
><span>Crossover(s)<span>: None at the moment..._

Author's Note #1: This one is rather important so I'll address it now before it's too late. **I'll bold the following: Even if I might be misplacing my faith in the overall goodness of people in general, I want to believe that everyone who is still reading this story of mine up to this point is a (mostly) reasonable person with an open mind.** **With that said, if you don't like the idea of potential shoujo-ai/yuri/girls love that might occur in future chapters, you might want to stop reading this story now. XD **While I continue to mull over the possibilities, since this is mainly Tomoya's story and all, there's nothing that's stopping me from inserting minor yuri subtext into my writing. In fact, there's already some minor yuri subtext in previous chapters if you read between the lines hard enough. Though it may appear that I'm pandering to yuri fanboys/fangirls in general, there is an actual thematic relevance behind this, which I don't want to spoil yet. If you don't want the story to head in this direction, do leave a message or review. If enough people complain, I'll make adjustments to…certain future events. If you do want to see the story continue the way I had originally envisioned it, do leave a message or review as well. I'm a very accommodating person, to say the least. I'll let the readers dictate this one…

Author's Note #2: Some light Tomoya x Kyou teasing in this chapter, along with Tomoya and another girl…

Author's Note #3: The entirety of this chapter takes place before the 10:23 minute mark of episode 18 of the first season. Most of it is entirely made up of events from my own imagination. Parts of this chapter are loosely based on a scene that occurred in Kyou's path of the visual novel. The next chapter will finally be moving on to the next part of episode 18.

Author's Note #4: Tomoya x ?, Sunohara x ? I've now added a poll for Sunohara as well. You can find a link to it in my profile page. Go vote if you already haven't! XD

Author's Note #5: Perspectives – It shouldn't be too hard to figure out.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything **_Clannad_**-related, even though I wished I did...And from here on out, I do not own any series/movies/video games that I might make references to or decide to make any crossovers with as well.

* * *

><p><strong><span>Clannad ~Different Days~<span>**

-The Everyday Arc-

_Vague Synopsis - It's not quite the same story that you might remember, even if it feels strangely familiar. A different world, different relationships, different events...different days..._

**Chapter 7 – A Man Possessed of Some Radical Notions, Part 3**

Misery invites company. I had a feeling that was what was going through Nagisa's mind as she remained quiet on her problems. My daughter was a gentle soul, the selfless sort of person who didn't want anyone else to worry about her. The lingering silence that was pervading her room cleared any doubts in my mind as to what was bugging her ever since Tomoya-san stopped by last night. She probably felt too embarrassed to talk about matters of the heart with her own parents, even though Nagisa was very open with Akio-san and me. Despite the realization that there were some things that even Nagisa would keep quiet about from us, I felt…really grateful…that she could rely on her friends to help her overcome her problems.

I slowly closed my eyes so that my ears could focus on the voices that lie beyond this door. Everything fell into hushed quietness for a few moments when Kotomi-chan mentioned Tomoya-san's name.

"Okazaki-san? What about him?" I had a feeling that Nagisa knew what Kotomi-chan was going to ask her, but she probably decided to play things safe and feign ignorance as a precaution.

"You… like Tomoya-kun, right, Nagisa-chan?"

"Um, well…"

"It's okay, Nagisa. We're all friends here. You shouldn't have to worry about us."

"But… the two of you… I can't…" Nagisa's hesitation told me that she felt uncomfortable talking about Tomoya-kun in such an intimate manner. It was rather obvious that Kotomi-chan and Tomoyo-chan both liked him like a girlfriend would a boyfriend. Nagisa must've firmly believed that if she admitted that she had the exact feelings as they did, it would have been a little…inconsiderate, to say the least.

"Please?" Tomoyo-chan's one-worded question was a restrained whisper, calmly but desperately pleading for an answer.

"Well, I…I think I…like him. I'm…I'm not really sure…what my feelings really are for him. But…I really care for Tomoya-kun…that much I know for certain."

"All of us care for him…in our own way."

"…Do you two…hate me?"

"No, of course not, Nagisa! How could you think that?"

"Tomoyo-chan… Kotomi-chan… you both like Okazaki-san… in _that_ way as well, right? Then, I can't be anything more than his friend. I… I think… he deserves someone better than me." Hearing Nagisa's self-deprecation was really painful. I knew that my daughter always lacked self-confidence, but to hear her give up so easily on a boy that she cared for dearly was saddening. I opened my eyes to look at Akio-san, and I could see that he too shared my sentiments as well. I saw how his grip on the glass cup had tightened, fighting back the desire to march in there and encourage her, but I knew that he couldn't do that, and neither could I. The two of us weren't supposed to be there to begin with, and yet, here we were, eavesdropping on a very private and intimate conversation, unknowingly being privy to our daughter's inner thoughts. We had no right to interfere at all.

"Please, don't say something like that, Nagisa-chan. There's a reason why Tomoyo-chan and I are over here right now, besides checking up on your well-being."

"Wait, I thought this was the whole reason that you and Tomoyo-chan were over here."

"That wasn't our main purpose for being here today, Nagisa-chan. We need your help."

"You mentioned earlier that you needed my help. I thought it was about…o-our feelings for…Okazaki-san…"

"Before we can continue with that issue, there's an even bigger one that we need to take care of first." My eyes lit up for a brief moment, wondering what Tomoyo-chan meant that there was an even bigger issue.

"What is it, Tomoyo-chan?"

"Nagisa, how much has Okazaki told you about his father?"

"His… father?" Upon hearing Tomoyo-chan's question about Tomoya-san's father, my eyelids shot wide open. I glanced over to Akio-san, who also gave me a worried look as well.

"Tomoyo-chan told me that Tomoya-kun doesn't get along with his father anymore. Do you know what happened between the two of them?"

"Um, I don't know if I should say… Okazaki-san is really sensitive about this…"

"Please, Nagisa-chan."

"You're the only one who can help us."

"Please, you don't have to beg! If… if it's to help Okazaki-san, then I guess… I can tell you."

"Thank you so very much." Both girls immediately thanked my daughter for her willingness to divulge further information on Tomoya-san. I couldn't help but smile at the synchronous timing those two had. A small sigh followed brief moments of silence that hung in the air. Nagisa must've spent some time figuring out what she wanted to say to them. I waited patiently for my daughter to continue...

"Well, one day… he told me how back in middle school, he and his father…got into a fight. As a result, his shoulder broke. It still is, to this very day. I don't think…Okazaki-san will forgive him anytime soon."

"That…would explain a lot right there."

"Nagisa-chan, do you know what happened to his mother?"

"His mom? Hmm, now that you mentioned it, Okazaki-san hasn't mentioned a single word to me about his mother at all." Upon hearing Nagisa's admittance of that fact, it felt like…my heartbeat just skipped a beat momentarily. It might be motherly instinct talking here, but if Tomoya-san hasn't mentioned anything about his mother to anyone at all, Nagisa included, then it most likely meant…that she has died.

"I guess… there's only one way for us to find out…"

"Tomoyo-chan… you don't mean…"

"I know what it's like…to live in a cold empty house…in a family without love. At one point in my life, I was no different from Okazaki as well. As his friend, I want to be able to help. No, I want to _save_ him…from suffering the way I did."

"Tomoyo-chan… Do you think I could come with you two?"

"Sure, I certainly don't mind having company. We'll all head over to Okazaki's house together one of these days, once you're feeling better."

"You should probably get as much sleep as you can, Nagisa-chan. The two of us can wait for you, so there's no rush."

"Thank you, Kotomi-chan, Tomoyo-chan."

"You're welcome, Nagisa. Even though…we're all vying for the same person, let us not forget…all of us are friends. I'm sure…there's some peaceful solution to this whole mess. I _want_ to believe that…and I'm not gonna give up until I think of something."

I couldn't help but serenely smile at Tomoyo-chan's words. I honestly thought that there would be some conflict, some kind of drama that would happen between those three, but it didn't. It warmed my heart to know that Nagisa has two caring friends who were beside her right now.

"Well, that was unexpected. I was expecting something more than that." My eyes met Akio's.

"Yes, I was expecting the worst, but I'm glad things didn't turn out that way." The two of us resumed listening to the three girls once more.

"…By the way, Tomoyo-chan, do you know where Okazaki-san is right now?"

"Well, Kotomi and I were over at his house earlier this morning."

"Kyou-chan and Ryou-chan were also over there, too. There was also a strange girl over there with us."

"Who was it?"

"I wouldn't know, but from the way Okazaki reacted to her presence, I'm pretty sure he knows her. Anyway, he said that he was going to head out with a friend."

"It was Ryou-chan, if I remember correctly. I wonder what those two wanted to talk about."

"Ryou-chan?"

"Well, it's just…I know I sound terrible for saying this, but outside of school, Okazaki-san and Ryou-chan don't really talk a whole lot. I just find it a little strange, that's all."

"If you're concerned that Okzaki is out on some date, then you needn't worry."

"Huh? How come?"

"Well, I told Kotomi this earlier, but Okazaki mentioned to me that he wasn't looking for a girlfriend."

"Why not?"

"It's…because of his father. Now you're beginning to understand why we really need your help, Nagisa."

"I…I want to help Okazaki-san…but I wonder…are we really doing it for the right reasons?"

"What do you mean?"

"Okazaki-san is my friend, and I really want to help him and his father…but we have to do it for the right reasons. I…I know that you and Kotomi-chan aren't the only ones who have a crush on him. I think it's safe for me to say that Kyou-chan and Ryou-chan like Okzaki-san as well. But, at the same time, I think it's a little selfish to want to help him just because he doesn't want to be in a relationship right now."

"I understand what you're getting at, Nagisa, but I'm not just doing this in order to win my way into Okazaki's heart. If you know about Okazaki's father, then you must know just how bad their relationship has become. As his friends, if we don't intervene soon, then it's only going to get worse from here on out. Who knows what he'll do if things get that bad."

"All of us care about Tomoya-kun. Even if we do harbor feelings for him, he's still our friend, first and foremost. We really want to help him, Nagisa-chan." There was another long pause of silence that lingered in the room for what felt like ages. Nagisa must've been deliberating within her mind. She must've felt conflicted between wanting to help a dear friend and wanting to avoid meddling in personal affairs. Considering the kind of person that my daughter is, I knew what she would eventually decide on…

"Okay…I'll help, too."

"Thank you!" Both girls exclaimed in joyous unison as my ears suddenly heard a rather loud but subdued thud reverberating throughout the walls.

"Kotomi-chan!..." I could hear Nagisa softly giggling, clearly taken aback by what I assumed to be Tomoyo-chan and Kotomi-chan aggressively hugging her to the point where they knocked her down onto the floor. I couldn't help but grin at their childish enthusiasm. Tomoyo-chan didn't really struck me as the type of person who would glomp someone else, much less Kotomi-chan, but as long as this door in front of me remained closed, there would be no way for Akio-san and I to know for sure. Speaking of my husband, when I glanced over to my left side to gauge his reaction, I hastily panicked at the sight of his hand slowly reaching for the door.

"Akio-san!" Without rationally thinking, I slapped his hand away from the door and grabbed it, fearing that the door would open and our presence being known to the three girls. My hoarse whisper sent a spine-tingling sensation down my back as my eyes widened in shock. By stopping one action that might've exposed us, I had created another that would've done just the same. The two of us just froze in our spots, awkward positions and bizarre facial expressions abound. We stared at each other, hoping that the girls didn't hear us. Silence passed by second after second, but with each quiet tick of the clock that loudly echoed through the house, I couldn't help but agonized over how Nagisa would've reacted if she found out we were spying on her.

"I hope we can really help him."

"I know we will, Nagisa. I just know it."

A calm sense of relief washed over Akio-san and me as we both let a hushed sigh. Upon hearing Tomoyo-chan's words, I turned to look at Akio-san, whose face was now wearing a stern look of contemplation.

"That was close. Let's move downstairs into the kitchen. We need to talk." It was a subdued whisper, but I could hear his voice clearly. I wanted to call out to him, but considering that we were just outside of Nagisa's room, separated only by a mere door, anything above a whisper would've made our presence known. I almost made one mistake already; I didn't want to make another. I had a pretty good idea as to what Akio-san was up to. The two of us lightly tiptoed our way downstairs, through the hallway, and settled into the kitchen. Akio-san went to sit down at the dining table. Brewing some tea for the two of us, the kitchen was filled with unnerving silence for the next several minutes. Neither of us could bear to look at the other as we were contemplating on the scene that transpired upstairs and our next course of action.

Bringing a cup of green tea to my husband, I sat down next to him at the table and placed his cup on the table. Taking one small sip with both of my hands before settling it down next to his cup, I met his contemplative stare with my amber eyes.

"Akio-san…you want to help Nagisa with some plan, don't you?"

"Yeah, I guess you read my mind. You were thinking the same thing too, weren't you?"

"Yes, I was. I know that we're meddling in her personal affairs and all, but…"

"…it's hard to see our daughter suffer like this and do nothing." Once again, my husband was able to finish my thought before I could. Akio-san was always boisterous, full of burning energy, unyielding in his voice and demeanor. I rarely saw him in a depressed mood, so during these few instances where he lacked his usual vigor, I did my best to cheer him up.

"I…might have an idea." An idea came into my head. Whether or not it was a _good_ idea was a completely different story…

"An idea, huh? Let's hear it, Sanae!" Seeing Akio-san perk up in enthusiasm certainly made happy, but at the same time, a feeling of anxious guilt was slowly brimming inside of me, because I wasn't sure if he would… agree to this.

"Well…" My plan wasn't exactly the greatest plan ever, but as a mother, I wanted to help my daughter in any way that I could. I had to do _something_…

As I slowly began to divulge my plan to Akio-san with slight trepidation, a part of me wondered what Tomoya-san was doing right now…

* * *

><p>We are… who we choose to be. Every choice that we make… defines who and what we will eventually become later in life. And right now, I couldn't decide whether or not the choices that I have recently made in my life were the right ones…or the wrong ones.<p>

"Hey, Tomoya, quit staring off into space!"

"Oh, sorry." My eyelids snapped wide open when Kyou's voice piercing through my eardrums. They weren't entirely closed, but they were drooped enough to give the impression that I wasn't fully conscious. I must've looked disrespectful to both of the sisters right now, although Ryou would've easily forgiven me. She was that kind of person to begin with, one who doesn't hold petty grudges.

My attention turned towards the fiery lavender-haired girl sitting across from me at the table. Kyou was sitting next to her younger sister Ryou, who was eating her share of lunch in silence, staring down at her food all the while. I couldn't help but smile at her. As soon as her eyes met my gaze, her cheeks began to unsurprisingly turn pink, as usual. It was a sight that was now becoming an ordinary norm to me when it came to the meek girl.

"Are you still sleepy, Tomoya-kun?"

"Nah, I was just daydreaming, that's all. I'm wide awake at this point."

_My earlier assumptions about Kyou spying on the two of us from the very beginning turned out to be predictably true. It wasn't until Ryou and I hopped on the bus to head into the city that I heard running footsteps gradually getting louder and louder, madly making its way towards the steps on the bus. The two of us couldn't help but turn our heads to see who it was. A panting, out-of-breath Kyou was now standing before us in the aisle._

"So, it's mushroom spaghetti with carbonara, cuttlefish ink spaghetti, and caesar salad. Your total comes up to 3,750 yen." She placed the bill for the meal on the table as she courteously bowed to the three of us before walking away.

"Whew~ I'm so full!" Lightly patting her stomach in gluttonous self-satisfaction, Kyou was smiling at the delicious lunch that she just consumed.

"Yes, that was delicious." Ryou meekly agreed with her older sister with a tiny nod of her head, a smile on her face as well.

"Lunch was over 2,000 yen, you know?" My question was mainly directed at the older twin, but the younger twin took notice of the inquiry as well.

"What are you talking about? Lunches on dates are supposed to be like this."

"Really? You serious?"

"Eating fast food would be quite rude. Isn't that right, Ryou?" As Kyou's attention now turned to her younger sister, Ryou was too flabbergasted to properly respond.

"Eh... ah... um... I...I don't really mind where we go out to eat..."

"Hey, don't spoil him like that! If you get treated to cheap food, he'll think of you as a cheap girl."

"No, I wouldn't think that." As unsurprising as her answer was, I appreciated Ryou's response. As long as she was spending time with me or with anyone else, the choice of food would've been the last thing on her mind.

"U-umm... Tomoya-kun..."

"Hmm?"

"Umm... about lunch, how much is my share?" Ryou was rummaging through her white tote bag, her face a concentrated gaze. I assumed that she was looking for her purse to in order to pay for the meal. It would be unseemly for a guy to pay for his girlfriend's meal, so I volunteered to fork the bill.

"It's all right, I'll pay for it. The food's on me." Digging through the right pocket of my jeans, I pulled out my black wallet, pulling out several thousand yen bills.

"B-but... I feel bad..."

"It's just an extra thing that I have to do on this first date. I'd be a terrible boyfriend if I didn't pay for your meal."

"Ah... boyfriend..." Ryou's head was hanging down, staring at her lap with an embarrassed face and an awkward smile. She was completely red, from the hairline up to the visible part of her ears.

"That's it, you got it, Tomoya. As her boyfriend, it's your responsibility to pay the tab." I eyed Kyou, giving her a dry stare before slowly grinning at her remark.

"Kyou, your share of the lunch is 1,550 yen."

"Eh? Why?"

"Heh, last time I checked, you're not my girlfriend. Besides, you ordered that salad, too."

"Didn't you take some, too?"

"Hey, I'm still full from the breakfast that I _had_ to eat earlier this morning, thank you very much."

"Don't say something so small-minded. You're trying to show what you've got, right?"

"Yeah, yeah... I know. Just wanted to point out the facts. I'll pay for yours too, but you owe me."

Gazing around the restaurant, I never realized that such a place even existed in our tiny city to begin with. The place was bustling with people everywhere. Dozens of conversations overlapped with one another, creating one garbled mess that couldn't be distinguished at all. Waiters and waitresses were weaving through the tables and customer-filled chairs, trying to get food out for everyone in a timely fashion. The three of us had just finished our lunch several moments ago, merely sitting there and chatting on idle conversation. Our table was located adjacent to the windows, which overlooked the street several feet away. I was lazily staring outside of the window when I felt curious as to what time it was. Sluggishly lifting my left wrist, I gaze at the digital watch with silent pensiveness.

13:08. One o'eight in the afternoon.

"So, what are we gonna do now?" Prussian blue eyes met sky blue orbs as I looked to Ryou for answers.

"Eh? Umm... what will we... do now?" I merely nodded my head in silence at her questioning response.

"Yeah."

"Um... ummm..." Ryou slowly looked at me and Kyou back and forth, all flustered from my question.

"Having fun or going shopping, anything is fine by me. I certainly don't mind."

"Be quick and make him treat you to something, Ryou!" There was a giddy, childish excitement from Kyou's voice, and I knew that my wallet was going to be crying before the end of today.

"Well... treating you to anything is a bit..." Possibly a bit too much. Of course, Ryou would actually be mindful of how much money I have. Kyou, on the other hand…

"Ah..." A sudden, quiet gasp escaped from Ryou's lips, immediately drawing my attention. I assumed she had come to a decision.

"Hmm? Did you think of something, Ryou?"

"Um... I'd like to go wherever Tomoya-kun wants to." Not surprising in the least bit. I kinda wanted to lean forward and let gravity pull my forehead down onto the table in slight frustration, but that would've been rude…and impractical. Considering her personality, Ryou's response was… just what I had expected to hear.

"So she says, Tomoya." Kyou turned to face me.

"To be honest, I don't really have any place I want to go to."

"So _he_ says, Ryou." Kyou then turned to face Ryou once more.

"Ahh... umm... then...what should we do?"

"That is…a very good question." My response was rather flat, as the three of us sat in dumbstruck silence, wondering what to do next.

"What do we do?" The three of us just blankly stared at each other. Going on a date is a lot more… difficult than I had thought. We were at an impasse and the silence just dragged it out even further.

"All right! How about we go window shopping?" Kyou voice was ripping through the silence with her clenched fist. A sharp clattering of tableware and silverware rang through the air as her fist landed with a firm thud on the table. It nearly made my heart leap out from my chest from the sudden action she took. The entire restaurant fell into immediate silence in an instant, as other people were now looking in our direction for a few moments before continuing on with whatever they were doing before, wondering where the abrupt noise came from. If Ryou's indecisiveness earlier made me want to slam my head into the table in minor exasperation, then Kyou's outburst made me want to kill myself out of major embarrassment. I let out a quiet, heavy sigh as my eyes closed, wanting to avoid the piercing gazes of the other customers, as my eyes resumed its position on the older Fujibayashi.

"If the two of you go shopping, you guys might find out the things that you both like, right? So, without further delay, window shopping, here we go!"

"Well, I don't mind at all."

"Umm... if Tomoya-kun is okay with it... umm... I'm okay with it as well." Ryou fluttered her eyes at me, still flushed red. While she had gotten better at conversing with me whenever we were alone, she was still a nervous wreck whenever Kyou is around. I suppose she'll improve with time, but a part of me couldn't help but smile at the fact that she was slowly making progress. She wanted to change. She wanted to be different. She wanted to show Kyou that she can be her own person and not have to rely on her older sister all the time. Ryou had come a long way since the day I first met her.

"It's decided, then!" Kyou smiled, satisfied with her idea.

The three of us were now out of the restaurant and walking on the sidewalks, heading to no particular destination. I knew that Kyou said the three of us were just going to go window shopping, but…this was Kyou Fujibayashi we were talking about here. I highly doubt she would be able to stick to her original plan for long, especially if there were some clothes that caught her fancy.

Suddenly, Kyou slowed her walking pace down to match mine, eventually leaning up against my ear in close proximity, softly whispering in my ear to avoid Ryou's detection. "Now's your chance, it's time to show what you're made of!"

"Chance? What for?" The volume of my voice died down to match hers. I knew she didn't want Ryou in on this little conversation of ours.

"You'll get to know what she likes as we go shopping, right?"

"Yeah, I guess."

"That's why you need to pay attention and find out what she likes."

"Is this really necessary?"

"Are you an idiot? Your relationship with her will level up if you secretly buy it as a present later on! If it works well, you might trigger an event flag, and then you'll feel really happy."

To hear Kyou describe my date between Ryou and me in such a manner made me feel… perplexed on the inside. Life was most certainly not a game, much less a visual novel. I got the point she was trying to make, but it made me wonder… what exactly goes through Kyou Fujibayashi's head sometimes anyway? Considering that she had been playing matchmaker with me and Ryou for a while now, maybe this was just some game to her. Or maybe, I wasn't giving Kyou enough credit. I knew that she had a crush on me, but why try to set Ryou up with me then, if Kyou herself wanted to be with me as well? Was she… afraid of rejection? A stupid question, I know… but who isn't? But what did she stand to gain from all of this? If I had to wager a guess, she wanted to do the decent thing as the older sister and let the younger sister be the "winner" of this so-called game, regardless of how much pain she knew she was going to have to endure.

Kyou… was a complete masochist.

We now found ourselves walking inside of a mall. It wasn't entirely massive, but it was still spacious, with plenty of room to walk and down the corridors. I rarely went into the shopping district of Hikarizaka, so this place was pretty foreign to me. With Ryou and Kyou walking a few paces ahead of me, I turned to look at my surroundings. Stray beams of sunlight peered through the glass windows on the ceiling. There were people walking to and fro everywhere. Friends, family, lovers, no matter who or what they were, everyone had their reasons for being here. Regardless of whether they were holding bags of merchandise or texting on their phones, everyone had their own business to worry about, and I was no different either.

Without realizing it, the three of us were now about to enter one of the department stores, shopping for clothes. Kyou skipped into the store with Ryou following her from behind soon afterward. Eventually, I joined the two sisters inside, trailing behind them both. I was merely following their lead. The Fujibayashi sisters went to the section where they sold summer items, enjoying the thrill of shopping around for anything that caught their eye. Glancing around the store, I noticed that there were mainly girls and women who were perusing the place for clothes, alerting me to the fact that this was mainly a store specializing in women's clothing. Or at the very least, this part of the department store was. Considering how big this place was, along with the fact that there was an entire second floor to this place with the sight of a pair of escalators in the distance, there probably was a men's department. Either way, I felt a little out of my element being in a place like this, filled with shelves and racks of clothing. At least, the occasional male presence reminded me that I wasn't entirely _alone_ in a sense.

"Come on now Ryou, they're already selling summer stuff!"

"Yes, they're really cute!"

"You want to try something bold this summer? How about this?" Kyou held up a rather bold halter top up for Ryou to gaze at. It was a red top with a low cut front. Imagining Ryou wearing this, my face immediately turned crimson red at the realization of how much cleavage she would be showing off. I fervently shook my head from side to side, trying to rid myself of those perverted thoughts. Ryou couldn't possibly wear something that revealing…could she? My mind couldn't fathom the idea at all. Knowing her, she would most likely wear a shirt or blouse underneath to supplement the red top.

"Ah... uh... but, this seems a bit revealing..." Yeah, no kidding. That was what I would've said out loud, but I decided against it.

"It's all right; you'll look good in it. It'll fit you perfectly."

"But I'm sure it will look better on you, onee-chan..."

"Hmm, should we buy a matching pair, then?"

"Ah, sure, in that case..."

"All right then! Ah, Tomoya, can you wait a bit?" The two happily disappeared further into the shop while I just sort of stood there with an empty gaze, wondering how long I would be waiting for the two of them to come back. I walked around a little bit, just looking at the clothes, not looking for anything in particular. That numbing feeling that you get when your legs fall asleep on you wasn't exactly what you would call a pleasant sensation. A loud yawn escaped from my mouth as I noticed the two sisters approaching me, bags full of clothing in hand.

"Sorry to keep you waiting! Here, please hold this." With a sly grin that lacked any real remorse, Kyou handed me one of the paper bags. I gave her an incredulous look of disbelief that silently asked, 'Are you freaking serious?' Her grin never faltered as her right eyebrow arched, giving me a silent approval that said, 'You'll just have to deal with it." Closing my eyes once more, another yawn of indifference escaped from my mouth as I silently followed the two sisters to another section of the department store.

"Hey, Ryou, Ryou! They've got some cute shoes here!"

"Eh? Shoes?"

"Last year, the strings on your sandals broke, didn't they?"

"Didn't that happen…when you wore them, onee-chan?"

"E-eh? Really? Well, let's just go get a new one then."

"Okay!"

"Let's go have a look!"

"Mhmm." Ryou nodded her head silently with a warm smile as the two went off looking for shoes. They didn't travel too far away from me this time as I could easily see them in my field of vision just several feet away. I didn't want anything in particular, so I just merely browsed around at the shoes sitting on the shelves. Making sure there wasn't anything on the tiled ground, I gently placed the bags onto the floor. Thumbing at the price tags attached on the shoes, my eyes couldn't help but slightly bulge out of its sockets at the outrageous prices on the footwear. A pair of basketball shoes had a price tag of 9,800 yen. Another was 19,800 yen. A pair of sports sandals was 6,800 yen. Just how the hell did an average person go about getting the money to buy one anyway? I just now realized how expensive the shoes in this store were. It made me wonder how Kyou or Ryou could even afford anything in here. The last time I checked, those two weren't exactly born into a rich family...

"Tomoya, come over here for a moment."

"Hmm?" I went to where they called from, grabbing the bags off the floor.

"Here, could you hold this?" She handed me a big box full of merchandise that she had just bought from the store. I stared her wide-eyed in disbelief, wondering where the two sisters were going to get the money to pay for all of this clothing.

"We got some pretty good sandals! Isn't that great, Ryou?"

"Yes, but is it okay for you to be paying, onee-chan?"

"It's all right. I'm the one who broke them after all."

"Then... I guess we'll both wear this?"

"I guess, when you're not wearing it Ryou, I'll use it instead."

"Sure!"

"Ah, they're selling hats!" Kyou pointed to a rack of an assortment of felt hats and floppy straw hats resting on a nearby stand with a large mirror sitting adjacent to it, offering

"Hats...?"

"You have to be careful about UV rays, right?"

"I guess so."

"Let's go look!"

"Yeah!" Once again, the two sisters separated from me once more. These sisters got along well, but…where did that leave me? Both of my hands were holding onto paper bags with a box containing footwear on top. Was I their luggage boy now? Dates weren't supposed to be like this, were they? I was starting to become a little frustrated, and it didn't take Kyou long to notice as she slowly approached me with a bemused grin on her face.

"Good work, luggage boy."

"Don't screw with me. How is this a date? I'm not just a luggage boy, am I?!"

"You idiot, it's all part of the plan! Just look at Ryou for a second. She seems pretty relaxed, don't you think?" My eyes darted over to Ryou, who was standing several feet away from us, amusing herself with a hat that caught her eyes. I couldn't help but noticed that she was trying out various poses in the mirror with the floppy, beige-colored hat.

"Well, she seems focused with her shopping with you. I guess I'll bear with it…for now."

"Thanks, Tomoya. Just hang in there, okay?"

"I can't make any promises…but I'll try my best."

"Okay, let's look at the accessories!" Kyou winked, giving a thumbs up with her one that wasn't already carrying a bag. And with that same hand, she headed towards Ryou and led her away by hand.

"Come on, Ryou. They finally came out with some new stuff!"

"Okay." Kyou tossed another glance my way again, winking with a mischievous glint in her eyes. For a brief, momentary instance, my and Ryou's faces met for a second. Her trademark blush was there in full force as I saw her muster an apologetic smile on her face before being dragged off by Kyou. I returned her smile with one of my own, but I wasn't sure if she saw it or not.

The three of us moved now found ourselves in an area full of glass displays showing off an assortment of rings, necklaces, gems, and other fine jewelry. Apparently, perfume and other fragrances were also sold in this immediate vicinity as well, which left a lingering, sweet aroma that permeated the air and filled my nostrils with the scene of vanilla extract. It was strong enough to leave a lasting impression in my mind, but soft enough that it didn't burn my nose at the same time. There were numerous people examining the jewelry and fragrances and just as many store clerks attending to their needs. Kyou went up to a woman and politely greeted her before asking if she could examine one of the items in the display.

"Uwaah, it's cute! Hey Ryou, this ring has a light blue stone. Looks nice, doesn't it?" Kyou was holding up a glimmering stone of blue and green hues in between the thumb and index finger of her right hand. It irresistibly shimmered under the fluorescent lights of the store. I couldn't help but be drawn towards it as well. Placing the bags onto the floor once more, I took a few steps forward, finding myself in between the two sisters as Kyou offered me the opportunity to hold the ring for a moment. I held it towards the light above me, causing it to glisten even more.

"That stone is a tanzanite. Tanzanite is a rare gem that is only found in the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro. The mineral was named after Tanzania, the country where it was discovered. Because it is relatively soft, tanzanite is most commonly used in necklaces and earrings. Also, they supposedly have the special ability to connect a person with the spiritual world and bring that connection into one's life in the form of knowledge."

I turned to gaze at Ryou's face, whose face instantly turned red the instant our eyes met as her eyes darted to the ground. I was genuinely surprised that Ryou possessed such a familiar knowledge of gemstones that she could easily recount out loud. But, as I thought about it some more, I realized that since she had a passionate penchant for fortune telling, knowing about the symbology of gemstones shouldn't be too inconceivable a thought. Kyou had placed the ring down and picked up another, eyeing it with a quiet curiosity.

"Ah, and what's this white one?"

"That's a moon stone. Its deep color alone makes it quite expensive. In ancient times, they were used in India for fortune-telling purposes."

"I see... how about this green one? Is it an emerald?"

"That's a... peridot, I think. Emeralds have a much deeper green."

"Hmm. I see... umm..." Those two were slowly beginning to forget about me, being all caught up with the beautiful but expensive necklaces and rings. I had a feeling that at this point, Kyou had completely forgotten about her plan and was just enjoying herself with this shopping trip of ours. Suddenly, her eyes met my gaze. Her face trembled with a facial expression saying 'Oh, crap!' It really appeared that she had forgotten about me. Her reaction didn't surprise me in the least bit. A guy should never get in the way of a girl's shopping outing to begin with, so…

"Eh, umm, hey Ryou, have you found something that you might want?"

"Eh? Are you serious, onee-chan?"

"Yeah, there has to be a ring or pendant that you might like, right?"

"Hmm... Maybe..."

Kyou urged her younger sister on, who was quietly looking inside the showcase. I stepped a little closer so I could also take a closer look to what she was looking at.

"What do you like, onee-chan?"

"Eh? Me? Well... I... umm..." Kyou looked at the glass showcase, seemingly bewildered by all of the jewelry, but she suddenly started inspecting the accessories with an intensely piercing eye. After a few minutes of dead silence, I decided to look into Kyou's eyes and try to follow the path of her gaze. I was surprised that she didn't notice me. Turning to look at the display, I noticed that she was looking at a pendant. Wondering if the younger sister was mimicking the same action, I snuck at a glance at Ryou out of the corner of my left eye and saw that she was looking in the same location too. Both sisters were now pointing at two different pendants lined up by the corner of the silver accessories group. Both pendants had a gemstone attached to them.

"Amethyst, onee-chan?"

"Yeah, that's the one. This light purple color looks beautiful."

"Um, amethyst is a stone that is famous for warding off evil spirits. It's the birthstone for February. As a gemstone, it acts like a charm that protects love."

"Oh? Is that how it is?"

"But, your stone was... What did you say it was again... um..."

"Tanzanite, onee-chan."

"Ahaha, that's right, tanzanite, right? _Tanzanite_..." She exaggerated her laugh while repeating the name of that stone, and gave me a quick glance. From that and the way she emphasized her last word, I knew exactly what Kyou was hinting at. I'd be an idiot if I didn't. I met her glance with a knowing grin, which caught her slightly by surprise, but a small glint in her eye and an even smaller smile alerted me to the fact that she understood.

"Should we buy it?" Ryou murmured as she stared at the pendant intently. And then, my eyes widened in sudden realization: if she bought the thing now, Kyou's plan would've been meaningless!

"Ah, hey Ryou, shouldn't we go back and check the clothes outside?!" From her overenthusiastic questioning, Kyou must've realized this as well and quickly interfered before her sister made up her mind to buy the gemstone.

"Eh? Did we forget to buy something?"

"Ah... uh... umm... well..." She glanced at me.

"Ah, that's right. We didn't buy anything for Tomoya. We forgot to get some clothes for him!"

"Eh? Me?" I became flustered by the sudden conversation about me.

"Ah-..." Ryou turns around to look at me as Kyou says that. She then sees that I'm carrying a bunch of stuff.

"I-I'm sorry! I... was only thinking about myself…I apologize...for making you hold all of that, Tomoya-kun." She looks at me, returning to the same Ryou I know..

"It's okay, don't worry about it."

"But... but..."

"Setting that aside, ummm... let's go find some clothes for me." If I leave it at that, Ryou might start crying as we walk on.

"Come on, Ryou, let's go!"

"O-okay..."

"Ah...Tomoya-kun, I'll hold our stuff."

"Hmm? Don't worry about that. It'd be impolite if a guy didn't volunteer to carry a girl's stuff."

"That's right. You should just let the guys carry the stuff." I immediately turned to the older Fujibayashi sister, glaring daggers at her with quiet disdain.

"I wonder… why does it piss me off when _you're_ the one who says it?"

"It's just your imagination." Tilting her head to the side, Kyou gave a nonchalant shrug, her eyes closing momentarily.

"Um, is it really okay?" I turned to Ryou's quiet whisper, meeting her with a tiny smile.

"Yeah, don't worry about it. It's not too heavy." Even though they weren't straining my arms now, I couldn't say the same thing if my hands were still clinging onto the bags… hours later.

"Then, is it all right… if I carried one bag at least?" Regardless of my rebuttal, Ryou still wanted to help me out. Knowing that it would be futile to argue, I lifted my left hand up, offering a bag for her to carry. Taking the outermost bag into both of her hands, she was initially caught off guard with the weight of the bag. Immediately gaining her bearings, she had no difficulty holding onto the bag full of the items that she and Kyou had picked out.

"Thank you very much, Tomoya-kun… for letting me help." Ryou gave a sweet smile, bowing down her head as she said that.

"I thought you were much stronger than that, Tomoya." Kyou was grinning, teasing me on my lack of arm strength, but she of all people knew that that couldn't be further from the truth. Wanting to call her out on that in the only way I knew how…

"Remind me, didn't you get a good look at my body that one time?" **[1] **I was the one grinning now, with Kyou erupting in anger as her face was now entirely crimson red.

"Tomoya! We agreed to pretend that that never happened! Don't say anything in front of Ryou!"

"Uh, you never told any of that to your sister? I thought you two talked about everything." Even though she told me to keep my mouth shut, I thought she didn't keep any secrets from her own sister. I guess that proved that regardless as to how close those two apparently were, they still kept secrets from each other. It sounds obvious when you say it out loud, but then you realize an even more obvious truth: everyone has their secrets. I was no different…

"Onee-chan, what's Tomoya-kun talking about?"

"I'll… explain it someday… eventually…" With nervous gait, Kyou dragged her sister away to look for some T-shirts for me. Eventually, they came back a few shirts in hand. I couldn't say anything special about the design of the shirts, since I wasn't too fashion-conscious to begin with. There was one shirt that stood out to me, for reasons unknown, perhaps of how… strange it was. It was black, and there was 'Unparalleled Without Peer' written in a red brush on both sides. It felt like Kyou picked this to imply something, but surprisingly, Ryou seemed to like it as well. I questioned their fashion sense, but I didn't particularly care either way. I wasn't too picky when it came to the clothing that I wore. The only thing that mattered to me was whether or not the clothes were comfortable to wear.

"I'll uh… head inside the dressing room to change. I'll be right ahead." Both sisters nodded their heads in simultaneous unison as I sauntered into one of the stalls. Holding onto one plastic hanger and placing the others onto a metal hook on the door, I sat down and took off my shirt, placing it gently to my side as I reached for the shirt that Kyou picked out for me. After putting on the shirt, I stood up to look at the mirror that was plastered on the wall. Staring at the mirror with indifferent curiosity, I turned my body around slightly while still eyeing the long mirror. The shirt fit me fine, and that's all that really mattered to me.

I repeated the same process with the other shirts that the Fujibayashi sisters picked out for me. After try each and every one of them on, I slipped my shirt back on and made my way out of the stall, clothes hangers in hand. Making my way back over to the Fujibayashi sisters, I noticed that the two were perusing through a rack of clothes.

"I'm back. They fit me all right."

"What? Why aren't you wearing them right now?"

"You never said anything about me showing them off to you."

"I thought it would've been obvious to you."

"You're not gonna take my word for it?"

"Heck, no! I wanna see how well they fit you. And I'm pretty sure Ryou here wants to see, too." Kyou gave her a light jab to her younger sister with her left elbow, instantly eliciting a blush from Ryou.

"Fine, fine." I didn't want to argue, so I refrained from saying anything further.

After making my way back into the dressing room and changing into the shirt once more, just as soon as I unlocked the door to the stall, Kyou was standing there staring blankly, causing me to jump back several steps.

"The hell?! You scared me to death!"

"I just wanted to see for myself, that's all." There was a mischievous grin on her face that told me she was being honest about her claim.

"What do you think?" I spun my body by the heel of my feet, making sure that Kyou was able to see front and back.

"Hmm, not bad. Do you want the other shirts?"

"One will be enough for me. I don't want you to spend too much of your money on me. Save _most_ of it for yourself."

"My, my, aren't _you_ being such a gentleman today, eh Tomoya?" I wanted to call her out on her snide sarcasm but thought it better to remain silent on the matter. Giving a faux cough, I decided to change to a different topic. There was one that I had a pretty good feeling Kyou was waiting for me to bring up, so I decided to go with my gut instinct.

"So, that tanzanite…"

"…you will buy it for her, won't you?" She had completed my thought before I had even finished. Glad we were on the same wavelength.

"Of course. Why wouldn't I?" A part of me wanted to save that money instead, but I would be a terrible friend if I didn't consider the option, and I would be an even worse boyfriend if I didn't buy the gemstone for her.

"C'mon, Ryou's waiting for us." The two of us made our way back over to Ryou.

"Did the shirts fit, Tomoya-kun?"

"Yeah, more or less."

"Onee-chan…do you think I could speak to Tomoya-kun…alone?"

"Eh, alone? What for?"

"There's something that I want to talk to him about, that's all."

"Hmm…well, I'll be waiting at the front near the cash registers. Tell me when you're done, okay?"

"Right."

"So, what's up, Ryou?"

"Tomoya-kun, could you please keep your voice down a little? Onee-chan…might be able to hear us."

"Oh, sorry about that. Anyway, what was it you wanted to talk to me about?"

"I'm very sorry, Tomoya-kun. I-I'm just…a little nervous, that's all. That's why…I've been neglecting you… ever since we came into this store."

"Heh, don't worry about that. I'm just worried that you were getting bored."

"With our date?"

"Yeah."

"No, I enjoy being with you… and with onee-chan too. I hope she isn't causing you too much grief."

"Nah, I can handle it, so don't worry about me. I'm more concerned about you."

"If we stick together, I think I'll survive today." She gave a smile full of nervous enthusiasm. I couldn't help but grin at her half-hearted attempt to reassure me. Hearing her confession just now, everything about our date slowly began to make some sense to me. It would definitely explain why she had been… _avoiding_ me in a sense. She was still too nervous to be seen with me… together like this in public.

"It'd be pretty nice if the two of us could just be alone…" I didn't know whether or not I was being subtle or obvious with my suggestion, but I was hoping Ryou would catch on immediately. Thankfully, she did, with a warm smile of understanding and a tiny, red blush on her face.

"Tomoya-kun…do you…wanna go on another date with me? J-just the two of us?"

"Sure, that sounds nice."

"Hehe, let me go ask onee-chan and see if she agrees to it."

"If she's trying to set the two of us up together, she's gonna have to." Ever since I proposed this idea back in the park, I wondered whether or not she and I were capable of pulling this… ridiculous plan of mine off. I knew that it wasn't going to be easy, but I knew… that Ryou had my back. Of course, that same realization filled me to the brim with guilt. By agreeing to this plan of mine, she had already withdrawn herself from this… lover's competition. I knew that she was committed to it, but I didn't fully _understand_ the gravity of that decision of hers. She willingly gave up her chance at being my lover, just to help me out as a friend.

I found myself taking a small step forward before gently pulling Ryou's left hand into my right, giving it a firm but reassuring grasp. I smiled and wanted to give her words of encouragement, but before I got the opportunity, I was reciprocated with a smile of her own. Our fingers began to intertwine once more, linking us together physically… and probably metaphorically too. The joke was definitely not lost on Ryou as she spontaneously began to laugh at the moment we were in, and I couldn't help but laugh along with her. The two of us didn't even need to say a single word to each other. Our faces said everything that needed to be said. We made our way back to Kyou, who was somewhere near the front of the store, hand in hand, nervousness abound as evidenced by our burning red cheeks. This was something that we weren't going to get used to anytime soon, if ever.

Despite the fact that we were smiling happily in our embarrassed states, I couldn't help but feel… that someone was watching me from afar…

* * *

><p>There was an increasing sense of urgency that was flowing through my body as Tomoyo-chan and I were hurriedly walking through the vast expanse of the mall. I had called Aoyama-san earlier, wondering if he knew where Tomoya-kun might have been. It came as a genuine shock for me to learn that Aoyama-san had saw him walking around with who he had described as two lavender-haired girls down a street.<p>

"Tomoyo-chan…do you think we'll find them here?"

"There's a possibility. Even if we don't, we can still do some shopping of our own while we're here at the mall."

"Wait, isn't that…" My eyes stared in disbelief as my right hand rose in a hesitantly slow pace, my index finger directing Tomoyo-chan to who I was about to reference.

"Okazaki?"

"He's with Ryou-chan and Kyou-chan, too…" I didn't know why Kyou-chan was there with them. I didn't want to believe that Tomoya-kun was lying to Tomoyo-chan earlier.

"Let's follow them. I wanna know what's going on."

"Tomoyo-chan, wait!" I felt uncomfortable with what she had planned to do, but I never thought that I would react in such a manner. "This doesn't…feel right, spying on them like this. Why can't we just go up to them and talk?"

"We could…but they might not tell us everything. Worst-case scenario, they might lie to us outright. Either way, I believe we'll learn more by trailing them from behind."

"Kotomi, if you don't want to tag along, I won't force you to. So please, don't feel obligated to say yes just because we're friends. The last thing that I would ever want is to make you worry."

"Thank you, Tomoyo-chan, but…I think I would like to follow you, too, if that's okay with you."

"Are you sure, Kotomi?" A concerned look on Tomoyo-chan's face immediately alerted me that she felt some pang of guilt for trying to coerce me into following her. I knew deep down that she too didn't want to resort to this, but something, possibly innate curiosity, motivated her into action. I couldn't deny the fact that I had similar feelings of wanting to pursue the truth as well.

"Yes. To be honest, I _am_ a little curious about what they're doing here." Even though I thought it would've been a much better idea to just simply walk up to the three of them and inquire about their purpose for being here, Tomoyo-chan did make a good point. While I highly doubt that Tomoya-kun or Ryou-chan would lie to us, Kyou-chan on the other hand…if the incident at Tomoya-kun's house was any clear indication, she and Tomoyo-chan would most likely get into another argument, rendering any possible attempts at questioning them null. The two of us spying on the group from afar would reduce our chances of a confrontation from occurring, even if a part of me found this idea to be questionable at best and morally invasive at worst.

"I'm sorry for dragging you into this." She deeply bowed before me, clearly having some doubts about her initial plan. I wanted to reassure her that I was determined to stay by her for the day.

"Please don't apologize, Tomoyo-chan. I just…don't want you and Kyou-chan to argue again, like this morning." Thinking back on this morning's events made my body slightly shudder in fright.

"I promise you; we'll keep our distance from them. I just wanna see where they're going." Tomoyo-chan's gentle smile comforted my worries, enough to the point where I was able to return a smile of my own.

* * *

><p>The room was deathly silent, except for the monotonous ticking of the clock that was hanging on the wall. The sky was now orange as faint rays of light pierced through the translucent curtains. They subtlety swayed in the air-conditioned room as I silently stared at the sleeping girl before me. I never really got the chance to observe the room that Fuko was residing in, but since there was nothing else for me to do at the moment, my eyes slowly darted around the room. It was void of any animated life, our still and silent presence notwithstanding. I was waiting for something, anything to happen, to reassure me that I wasn't alone. The wooden chair that I was now occupying didn't budge an inch as I tapped the tiled floor with the tip of my shoes. The rhythm was off, not steady, but merely random beats to kill seconds off. I held her frail, motionless left hand with my own as I stared at Fuko's body.<p>

Fuko Ibuki… a fifteen year old girl who was a first-year student…or rather, she was _going_ to be a first-year student at Hikarizaka High School before an unfortunate car accident left her in a coma. She had been stuck in here ever since. Well, her physical body, anyway. An astral projection of Fuko was wandering around the school, trying to get people to attend Kouko-san's wedding. With help from Nagisa and me, she was able to get most of the students and staff of the school to attend. Unfortunately, no one remembers that day now, with me being the sole exception.

And it seriously begged the question…why was I the only one who remembered Fuko? I remember asking myself this question the last time I was here at the hospital, which was yesterday. It didn't feel like yesterday, though. It felt like several months ago since the last time I came to visit her. In a cold, empty place like this lonely hospital room, time can be distorting to the mind. Days feel like weeks; weeks feel like months; months turn into years; years become decades. And everything becomes irrelevant by then. No matter how much time in the world that I might've had to think it through, I was no closer to figuring out this mystery.

"What are you doing?" My eyes widened, my head turning to the source of the voice. Standing a few paces away from where I was sitting stood a girl who I recognize immediately from her brownish-green hair and that poorly tied ribbon on the end of her long hair. The sight relieved me of my worried thoughts as a tiny smile formed on my face.

"You know, it's strange…and weird…seeing your sleeping body…and you yourself…in the same room like this."

"The only weird thing in this room is you, weird boy." Her response was quick, filled with the chastising criticism that was the norm between the two of us.

"Ugh…" The two of us would always get into these rough exchanges that never ended pleasantly, but this one, if only this one time, maybe there was some small glimmer of hope that we would actually be nice to each other. It was a futile thought, but one worth keeping hold of.

"But…Fuko is glad…that you're here with her, Okazaki-san."

"Really?" It wasn't the response that I expected from her. She slowly nodded her head yes.

"Mhmm. You're the only one…who remembers."

"I wish I knew why. No one else seems to remember you anymore, Fuko."

"But at least…_you_ do."

"I'm sorry that I'm the only one."

She slowly shook from side to side, her smile unwavering all the while. "You don't need to apologize. Either way, Fuko…is happy." Fuko had this… bizarre habit of referring to herself in third person. I couldn't really understand _why_ she did it, but considering how unusual she was in general, this odd manner of speech was the least freakish of her qualities. I merely paid no particular heed to it then, and I certainly had no problem with it now. Though, it did make me wonder what other people had thought about it. At the same time, I couldn't deny that there was something… oddly endearing about it, too…

"Glad to hear that. So, you said you wanted to talk to me about something?"

"Yes, there's something that's been worrying her for a while now."

"Huh? What is it?"

"Okazaki-san, have you sensed someone…or some_thing_ unusual around town?"

"Unusual? How so?" I was completely lost as to who or what she had in mind.

"Like…there's something wandering around town…something that's not from this world…like an alien!" I wanted to take her question seriously, but her flailing arms and exaggerated hand gestures made it difficult to believe that there was anything serious stemming from her inquiry.

"You sure you're not talking about yourself there?"

"That's not funny, Okazaki-san!"

"I kid, I kid."

"Still, it troubles Fuko."

"If it's troubling you this much, then I guess I can't ignore it. Do you know what this thing even looks like?"

"No, she doesn't know." I had a lingering suspicion in my mind as to what Fuko was referring to, but I didn't want to feed her any potential false hope, so I kept quiet. I decided to switch to a different topic to take my mind off of that thought.

"Hey Fuko, do you mind if I ask you a serious question?"

"Serious? What is it, Okazaki-san?"

"Do you think…you'll ever wake up someday?" It was a difficult question for me to ask, but I wanted to know how she earnestly felt about this situation.

"Fuko…Fuko wants to believe that she'll wake up…and see all of her friends again, old and new. She really wants to see…Nagisa-chan…and thank her."

What Fuko did next surprised me to no end. Gently placing her wooden starfish on the small table, she grabbed my entire body with her small arms and pulled me into a firm but gentle hug.

"Thank you…Okazaki-san."

"For the wedding?" That was the first thing that registered in my head the moment I heard her thanking me.

"For everything." Her head was now resting softly against my chest. My heartbeat slowly hastened at the physical contact that I was not used to. I couldn't see Fuko's face clearly from the angle that my eyes were at, but I could just tell…somehow…that she was smiling with all her heart.

And then an improbable thought occurred to me. I wondered if Fuko harbored any romantic feelings for me. A part of me found such a notion to be merely preposterous.

At least, that's what I told myself. She couldn't possibly be falling for me… right?

I merely helped her because she became a precious friend to me. Sure, we didn't get along at first. Hell, we still have our disagreements every so often. But, at the end of the day, I would like to believe… that Fuko feels the same way about me as well, that she considers me a good friend too, despite the fact that we were constantly teasing each other. My heart now grew worried at this idea with each passing second. Considering the dilemma I was in now, the _last_ thing I wanted right now was for _another_ girl to be chasing after me. I already have Nagisa, Kotomi, Ryou, Kyou, and Tomoyo vying for my affections. I could only imagine the horror… if Fuko were to join them. I wanted to groan in frustration at this sudden realization that I now had, but that would've ruined this one tender moment that I was sharing with Fuko Ibuki, no doubt about it. I held my emotions in check while my arms wrapped around her, softly pressing her head against my chest firmly, so that she couldn't leave my grasp, so that she knew… that she still had one friend left… who cared for her.

I didn't know how long we stood there hugging each other. My mind couldn't help but wonder if there were any romantic implications behind this embrace that we were now sharing. Me being the curious type, I decided to ask her… and see what kind of answer she would give me.

"Hey… Fuko…" Her head was still on my chest. It was a relief for me, since that meant she couldn't see this embarrassed look on my face.

"What is it?"

"Uh…" Words were stuck in my throat. I didn't know how to proceed from here on. One wrong word uttered, and I would've ruined everything between us. I closed my eyes… and drew one deep breath before inquiring. "Do you… like me?"

"Like you? What do you mean? Like friends?" There was an air of natural curiosity in her voice, but I couldn't help but wonder, was she playing dumb… or was she really serious?

"No, not like that. I mean… like… your older sister and Yusuke… care for each other."

"What?! Are you crazy?! There's no way that I could like a weird person like you, Okazaki-san!" Before I could even comprehend it, Fuko had already sprinted over to the other side of the room with the bedsheets now covering her body and most of her face. "Weird person keeps getting weirder."

"Me, weird?! It was an innocent question! Geez, Fuko, I was just asking."

"The only reason you would be asking Fuko such a question in the first place was because you actually _liked_ her… like that!" I noticed that slight hesitation at the end there. The fact that Fuko was covering most of her body with the bedsheets from her bed, I turned my attention to the other Fuko, the one whose body was unconscious in a coma. It was a rather sad sight, to see her actual body so frail, her skin so pale, and her face in a somber slumber.

And then I saw it… that look on her face.

She was blushing.

I thought I was hallucinating, since the orange rays of the setting sun were now shining through the windows. It wasn't until I actually focused my eyes on her that I perceived the nervousness in her eyes. I didn't even need to see the rest of Fuko's face to be able to tell that she was blushing.

I couldn't help but smile at the unusually funny sight that was now before me. My mind immediately conjured up an idea to turn this scene into one for my own amusement.

"Hey Fuko…" I was beginning to slowly walk towards her, grinning all the while. "…why so nervous?"

"Eh? Fuko's not nervous. Get away!"

She leapt up on top of the bed and jumped across to the other side, tightly clinging onto the bed sheets.

"Hey, be careful! You don't want to knock your body off the bed, do you?"

"Relax, I'll be fine, Okazaki-san. I've done this before." Before…hearing Fuko say that word, it made me stop and think for a moment. How long has she been in here…in this tiny room…all by herself? I knew that she can cast an astral projection of herself, but I would assume that she no longer had the ability to freely do so…or she had no reason to do so for an extended period of time. Her sister's wedding went off without a hitch…for the most part. With her objective accomplished, she didn't really have a reason to overwork herself like she did last time. I would imagine that she leaves this room every once in a while, like a person wanting to get some fresh air after spending too much time indoors. And then I remembered…all of the new friends that Fuko had made several weeks prior…had all forgotten about her. I was the only one left. She wouldn't _have_ a reason to gallivant around the school anymore. She's not exactly the sociable type, but then again, neither am I. Considering how shy she is, she most likely couldn't muster up the courage to go up to someone and introduce herself. At least, she wouldn't…not without a little help…_my_ help.

"Okazaki-san, stop staring off into space!" Hearing Fuko beckoning to me shook me out of my thoughts. She had a concerned, puzzled look on her face. It turned into slight irritation.

"You do that a lot, don't you?" Note to self, don't ever internal monologue in front of others. People will think I'm crazy, if they already haven't.

"Sorry, just thinking about stuff."

"You're as strange as always. Fuko will never understand you." I could say the same to you, too. "But still…" As her voice trailed off, she gradually closed her eyes as both of her hands relocated themselves behind her back. And then, I saw it… a familiar sight… her lips slowly drew upward into a tiny smile. It was a smile… full of warmth and happiness, the same smile that she gave me once… when she kissed both me and Nagisa. **[2]** Radiant… and beautiful.

"Fuko would prefer… if you and Nagisa-san were together… like onee-chan and Yusuke-san are. But… Fuko can't help but wonder… what is it like… to be in love?"

"I… uh…" To be honest, I didn't know how to properly answer her inquiry, so I just went for the honest straightforward approach. Not a whole lot I could do in a situation like this. "I've never been in a relationship before, so I can't say for sure. Sorry to disappoint."

"No, it's all right. Fuko couldn't help but wonder… Fuko has been wondering for a while now, ever since onee-chan's wedding. It's different… from the love that you have for a friend or family member, right?"

"I would assume so."

"Does that mean the friendship is gone in a way?"

"I wouldn't say it's gone necessarily. More like… it becomes… something more. It is possible for two people in love to also be best friends as well." At least, that's what I thought. Maybe it was just my naivety that was giving me this sense of false hope, but that's what I earnestly believed in.

"Is that so?" With that, Fuko slowly walked up to me… and placed a kiss on my right cheek. It reminded me of the same kiss that she gave Nagisa and me on that one night at school. I didn't really dwell upon the matter any further; I was too stunned to do so.

"The reason… that Fuko asked that question… was because she saw you… together… with another girl… and it looked like you two were… _close_." My heart stopped the moment I heard Fuko's words. A sudden epiphany suddenly rammed me like a ton of bricks. What if the person who was spying on me, the person whose eyes I felt upon Ryou and me back at the park…was not Kyou…but Fuko? But that couldn't be. Kyou admitted to us that she was spying on us…unless…Fuko saw us when the three of us were out in the streets? Maybe she also was also in the park, in a different spot from Kyou. My mind was racing, pondering, panicking about what the truth could possibly be. As my eyes made my way back onto Fuko, I noticed that she was grinning, clearly enjoying the inner turmoil that I was now enduring.

"What's wrong, Okazaki-san? Something on your mind?" The mocking tone of her voice… I could tell she knew _exactly_ what I was thinking right now.

"Where were you?"

"Everywhere… and nowhere."

"That makes no sense at all!"

"It makes perfect sense to Fuko! Fuko only saw you two in the park. She can't help but wonder… does Nagisa-san know that you're dating someone else?"

"We're not… really dating…"

"But I saw you two kissing and holding hands!"

"Ugh, it's not like that! You're misunderstanding everything!"

"A boy and a girl were kissing. What exactly is there to misunderstand in the first place? They're either dating or married! I'm telling Nagisa-san about your treachery!"

"She doesn't even remember you! Why would she even believe a word you say?"

"Because no one can refuse a cute little girl like me, of course! They'll have to believe Fuko, Nagisa-san included."

"Good luck with that."

"Thank you. I will most certainly need that when I go tell her…_right now_."

"Wait, you can't leave now!"

"Just watch me, Okazaki-san!"

"H-hey!" My right hand instinctively reached out to grab her, but Fuko hopped away from my grasp.

"Can't catch me." Grinning at my failed attempt, Fuko stuck her tongue out at me as a mocking gesture. I knew she was taunting me, but I didn't care. She wanted me to chase her, and chased her I did. Pretty soon, the two of us were running around in that tight but spacious room of hers. I was mindful of my surroundings since I didn't want to put Fuko at any risk. There were a lot of machinery and other apparatuses that I had to be careful around. She on the other hand was nimbly hopping on and off the bed and prancing around my every attempt to subdue her. She had the advantage, but I didn't care. It would've been too boring if I caught her to begin with. For the first time in what felt like ages, Fuko was _laughing_. I couldn't remember the last time I saw such blissful glee on her face. I didn't care if the nurses and doctors came in here right now and reprimanded me for my recklessness. She was happy…and I was happy with her.

After several minutes of just messing around with each other, the two of us were now calmly sitting on the hospital bed, our backs now facing each other. I had no other choice but to explain the details of my plan to Fuko.

"Do you really think your plan will work?"

"It might. It just might."

"Might?! Fuko was hoping for something more reassuring than _might_!"

"Ugh, what do you want from me?"

"Fuko wants to know… that _you_ know what you're getting yourself into."

"I have to make this work."

"And what happens if it doesn't?"

"I'll…I'll suffer the consequences. It's as simple as that…You don't have to worry about me, Fuko."

"But Fuko can't help it."

"I know… I know…" Realizing that my time with Fuko was running out, I felt that I should mention the obvious to her before she got the misconception that I was gonna stay here overnight, not that such a thing was even possible to begin with. Didn't hospitals have some rule against that? "It's getting late. I'm gonna have to be leaving soon."

"Stay with me… for a little longer… please?" My heart skipped a beat yet again. It was the way that she whisperly pleaded to me, with her last word barely audible even in the stillness of this cold room, that struck me with guilt-ridden pause. I didn't want to leave her in a solitary, depressing state, so I did what a friend would do...

"Okay, I'll stick around…until I get kicked out anyway." I knew that I had to give Fuko one last good memory for today before I made my way back home. There was no telling when I would be in this room again. A treasured memory can help during lonely times. At least, that was what I firmly believed with all of my heart.

The two of us were now sitting on the floor, our backs pressed against the side of the bed.

"Okazaki-san… could you tell Fuko… a story?"

"Story? What kind of story?"

"Any story that comes to your mind. Think of it as a bedtime story of sorts, the kind you would read to someone to get them to fall asleep."

"Heh, you're such a little kid, you know that?"

"Ugh…"

"But that's one thing that I appreciate about you, Fuko. You're not afraid to be yourself."

"Thank you…"

"Hmm, let's see…"

Eventually, Fuko fell asleep as her head gently rested on my left shoulder. I could hear her quiet breathing, a gentle rhythm that told me that she was at the very least sleeping soundly. My head canted upwards toward the white ceiling as I wondered how long things could last. This day is coming to an end soon, as I will have to leave this room…and go back home to my father. This weekend will come to an end soon, as another week of school starts. With each passing day, I slowly inch closer and closer to the end of high school. There's still several months left before graduation, but time has a funny way of zooming past us when we least expect it. Sometimes, I wished these days of high school would last just a little longer, but everything has to come to an end someday. Nothing lasts forever. It was an inevitability that I could never escape from. My mind knew that much already, even if my heart wanted the complete opposite. I guess…I'll just have to make every second, every moment from here on out count.

I gazed at the digital watch on my right wrist.

20:30. Eight-thirty in the evening.

My head slightly leaned into Fuko's. Closing my eyes to focus on my senses, my nose took in her scent. I was surprised to discover that it was clean and fresh, a faint tinge of lime filling my nostrils. She must have taken a bath…sometime today. It made me wonder…was the Fuko that was sitting next to me a separate entity from the Fuko that was resting in the bed behind me? I didn't know. I don't claim to fully understand the supernatural, of things that couldn't and _shouldn't_ be possible in reality, and yet…there were two Fuko Ibukis in this room right now. It made me wonder what happened if someone were to step in here right now. Would the Fuko beside me vanish in an instant?

I slightly tilted my head to the left, making sure that I could at least see Fuko out of the corner of my left eye. "Hey Fuko, you still awake?"

No response.

I waited minutes and minutes on end. There was a very slim chance that she was only pretending, but I had a strong feeling that she wasn't. I could just imagine her surprising all of a sudden, thinking that she won this game of hers. After a whole 15 minutes of patient waiting, I came to the obvious conclusion.

She really was asleep.

I grinned as I wanted to pull one last little prank before I left this room tonight. Fuko was so vulnerable right then and there. She couldn't stop me even if she wanted to. She would be none the wiser, too. I felt some small feelings of guilt inside and at the same time, I couldn't let an opportune moment like this one slip away from me. This definitely wouldn't be the first time that I've pulled a prank against the tiny starfish girl, and her frequent overreactions were a joy to me, in a somewhat sadistic way. But as I looked at Fuko's sleeping form, I knew that she wouldn't be awake to be able to react like that at all. I couldn't help but smile at that simple thought.

Turning my body slightly to face hers, I cradled both of her cheeks in the palms of my two hands, as my lips touched her forehead, my eyes closed once more. There were a few stray strands of Fuko's greenish-brown hair that were in my way, but they weren't a huge enough distraction from my act. I held myself in that position for a while. How long? I didn't know. Moments like these, time seems to be irrelevant.

And then I felt it…or rather…I couldn't feel it…or rather…I couldn't feel _her_…anymore.

My eyes snapped open immediately, now wide as saucers as Fuko disappeared. Getting up on my two feet, my attention turned towards the Fuko who was stuck in a coma. There was no difference there. It was as if nothing happened. The Fuko who was beside was now gone. Where did she go? I didn't know. I genuinely hoped that she would appear to me again on another day. I had this strange feeling that she felt that kiss…somehow.

"Good night, Fuko." A smile graced my lips before I turned around to make my exit.

…Another day goes by, and another arrives. What awaits everyone, in our everyday lives?

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><p><span>Author's Note #6<span>: I've kept Fuko's speech pattern of referring to herself in third-person that was present in the Japanese version but was omitted from the English dub. It will help differentiate her from the rest of the girls whenever we get to a chapter where she's the one narrating the perspective.

_Footnotes_:

**[1]** – 15:18 - 18:52 of Episode 17 of season 1. The infamous gym locker scene. Enough said. XD

**[2]** – 5:08 - 5:25 of Episode 9 of season 1.

_Well, that's the end of chapter 7. If you actually made it to the end of this chapter, then I salute you for being able to put up with my story for this long. If it's not asking too much, any kind of feedback, be it pointing out spelling/grammar mistakes, suggestions, or just your thoughts and feelings on this chapter, anything would be great. All I ask is that you remain civil and keep things constructive. That's all. ^_^'_

_Remember to check my profile page every day to see how much progress I have made on the next chapter. It will go up the moment that number hits 100%. _

_And don't worry, I'm never going to drop this story, so long as there is continued interest from readers for my fanfic. For personal reasons, I want to see this story through to the very end, even if it takes years to get there..._


	8. Chapter 8

_8/11/2013__ (Last edited on 08/12/2013 - Forgot to add an important footnote. X_X Sorry.) – I'm finally back. ^_^ __**Sorry for all of the delays. X_X **__Events in my life and a writer's block has made it difficult for me to write these past few months. I do apologize for the long wait and for the possibility of this chapter not being up to my usual standards. Hopefully, I can get back into the groove of writing soon… _

_Hello, people of FanFiction dot net. I'm back again with the next chapter of my very first fanfic. Thank you for all the reviews, everyone! (50 as of this chapter) ^_^ As the author of this story, I'm happy to see reviews being left behind. It motivates me to continue on with this story of mine. ^_^ For those who don't already know, I do personally respond to every single review that is left behind for my story. I figure that it's the least I can do as the author of this fanfic and communicate with my readers. Even though some of the character's personalities might/will be slightly altered for the sake of my fanfic, I'll try to remain faithful to their overall "spirit" that was portrayed in the anime series. _**Clannad**_ is my favorite anime series of all time, so I felt compelled to write a story of my own. I hope you enjoy it. And once again, any feedback that you can provide would be nice and very appreciated. ^_^ And with that, here is chapter 8: _

_Paragraphs in italics denote a flashback. Single words in italics / single words in regular print during a flashback denote emphasis and should be read as such.  
><span>Chapter rated T for<span>: Language, sexual themes, thematic material, and violence.  
><span>Genre<span>: Comedy/Drama/Romance/Slice of Life  
><span>Pairing(s)<span>: (At the moment) Tomoya x Ryou (Of course, they're only pretending to be a couple for Tomoya's plan, but it still counts.)  
><span>Crossover(s)<span>: _／人◕ ‿‿ ◕人＼_..._

Author's Note #1: In regards to the pairings: for Tomoya, the Harem option is winning with 15 votes! (Guess people really want to see Tomoya with ALL the girls! XD) Meanwhile, for Sunohara, Tomoyo is winning with 9 votes. How interesting…

Author's Note #2: In regards to chapter length and whose perspective this chapter is told from, I'll be attempting something a little… different from usual. This chapter will be shorter than the usual long length that the chapters have been up until now. As for who's narrating, let's see how long it'll take you to figure it out. It'll become obvious after a certain point…

Disclaimer: I do not own anything **_Clannad_**-related, even though I wished I did...And from here on out, I do not own any series/movies/video games that I might make references to or decide to make any crossovers with as well.

* * *

><p><strong><span>Clannad ~Different Days~<span>**

-The Everyday Arc-

_Vague Synopsis - It's not quite the same story that you might remember, even if it feels strangely familiar. A different world, different relationships, different events...different days..._

**Chapter 8 – An Emotional Concept**

Love… such a simple word but it's far from being a simple concept. Anybody with some capacity for kindness and compassion knows this the most, sometimes to an unfortunate fault. Having never dated anyone before in my entire life, the concept of love was alien to me, a mere afterthought as I went about my everyday life. There was also the fact… that I had some secrets of my own, secrets that I didn't want anyone else to know about. To be in a romantic relationship with someone, I would have to trust that person with everything. Nothing would go unnoticed. Everything in my life, including my past, would be an unlocked door for them to slowly open and simply walk through without knocking first. If I could help it, I didn't want anyone to get close to me, for fear that they wouldn't accept my past as a part of who I was today. It was one thing to know what happened to me back then; it's another to fully understand the events that have come to define me and accept everything that it entails. No one at school really knew this, though the occasional gossip popped up every now and again as whispered chatters throughout the hallways. I had done my best to start over, to make a new life, to walk proudly into the future with unwavering optimism beating inside me. Whether or not I would be walking side by side with someone that I deeply care about… and _love_… was another story entirely.

The light in the sky… it was gradually fading, its color becoming noticeably darker with each passing minute of the day. The sun was beginning to dip below the horizon as the heavens filled with hues of red and orange and every shade in between. Black was in the sky as well, furthest away from the sun, a constant reminder that nightfall was approaching soon. I was walking in silence with a certain friend, side by side, my gaze remaining fixed on its forward path. The two of us were walking down a street that was gradually sloping downward as it was built on a steep hill. It was our usual routine for a while now, walking home from school together like this. But today, today felt… a little different somehow. Normally, the two of us would just walk together, making idle chitchat to pass the time, separating once we reached a certain road, but right now, we were heading towards a hill that overlooked the town of Hikarizaka. It was most likely the fact that I had divulged a little secret to this friend of mine that he became a little more curious about me. To be honest, we had only recently become closer friends, but there was plenty that the two of us didn't know about the other person. And yet, despite that unfamiliarity, I felt… that I could trust him with this story that I was about to tell him, as if he were a best friend who I've known my entire life, who I shared all of my secrets with. I couldn't explain how… or _why_… but there was something… _special_… about him, something that I couldn't sense in other guys that I could in him. I felt that I could believe in him; I _wanted_ to believe in him.

Though it may sound presumptuous for me to confess this, and I know that you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but you can tell a lot about a person based on their mannerisms, from the way they talk, the way they act, the way their bodies and faces react to certain things. I know that not everyone who approaches me has the most pure of intentions when they try to talk to me, especially if they're a guy, but Tomoya… I never once felt a bad vibe from him at all. Despite the fact that the two of us were going to this hill… alone… with the sun fading soon, leaving us by ourselves… in almost total darkness, I didn't feel that he would ever try anything perverted on me. I did have a slight discomfort building up inside of me, but I didn't let it get to me. I could physically defend myself just fine; that wasn't an issue. What had me a little worried was whether or not my assumptions about Tomoya would prove to be true, that he really was a true gentleman. The last thing that I would want…was for my faith in my friend to be completely shattered. To pour all that trust in him, only for it to be mistakened for impure intentions, it would've killed me inside. Yesterday morning, despite the fact the fact that I was happy that Tomoya was holding me tenderly in his arms, a part of me was afraid… of how he might have taken advantage of that situation, of how he could have started whispering sweet nothings into my ear, slowly seducing my heart, gradually stripping me of my clothes until I was left completely naked before his eyes, and had his way with me. If Tomoya and I were lovers, that wouldn't have been a problem, but at the moment, we were just friends. I felt a tinge of guilt for thinking that my friend was capable of something so devious, but at the same time, there was no denying that such a scene I found to be… erotic and pleasing to my senses. Despite that, I wanted to believe in my friend, to believe that his kindness was of a virtuous sort and nothing shallow like just wanting to have sex with me… because…

…I think… I love him.

Unfortunately, I wasn't the only one who was in love with him. I didn't know how this problem was going to be resolved at all, but I knew that it wasn't going to fix itself. Regardless of how many girls were after Tomoya's heart, it was obvious that _he_ was the one who was stressed out the most over this whole mess. I could only fathom the toll it was taking on his mind. I wondered if he even wanted to be in a relationship with anyone, especially given the tensions between him and his father. I could relate to what he was going through in a way. I guess you could say that we were kindred spirits, unknowingly drawn to each other by the similarities of our past circumstances. I wanted to be there for Tomoya, to let him know that even if his other friends couldn't personally relate to what he was going through, at the very least, _I_ could.

"Hey, Tomoyo?" I was baffled that he broke the silence between the two of us so suddenly. It caught me off guard for several moments before I had the chance to muster a response.

"What is it?"

"If you don't mind me asking, where is this spot anyway?" I couldn't help but serenely smile at his curiosity. That was one thing that drew me to Tomoya.

"Just let me lead the way. All you have to do is follow me."

"Uh, okay?" There was a slight confusion in his voice, which I couldn't help but quietly laugh at. His facial expression remained unchanged, still vexed by my rather random question. I didn't know where this exact spot we were heading towards was located. I was merely following some unexplained feeling of intuition that was inside of me. Or maybe I had been to this spot long ago and had forgotten ever since. Walking for several more paces, brushing aside some of the branches of the nearby shrubs and bushes, we came to a small clearing, a hill that overlooked the town of Hikarizaka. Figuring that the serene sight would be a perfect backdrop for the conversation that we were about to have, I decided that here was where we were going to stop. I noticed the grass in the area was actually cut and maintained, unlike the unruly mess that we had encountered just moments before. Perhaps this specific spot was a small tourist attraction for Hikarizaka; I couldn't say for sure.

"Wow." It was a whispered utterance, but one I could hear clear as day.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" I turned to Tomoya, smiling softly, as I proceeded to sit down, adjusting the bottom of my navy blue skirt so that my butt would have been safeguarded from the grass beneath me.

"Yeah, it is." Tomoya took his place a few feet away from me, sitting to my right. I was surprised that there was so much space between the two of us, but in a way, I was sort of relieved. Him sitting next to me would have made me unbearably nervous. We sat there in the grass in complete silence, on a hill that overlooked the city, just admiring the sun's beauty. The chirping of birds could be heard echoing through the trees. After mulling things over in my mind for several more moments, I finally worked up the nerve to begin talking… about who I was.

"Okazaki, what were you like in the past?" I kept staring at the town that was off in the distance, unable to establish eye contact with Tomoya. I could only imagine that he was doing the same thing too.

"Average, I guess."

"I was... a rebel… Why do we rebel?" My eyes blinked once in sudden realization of the question that had slipped out of my mouth. I found myself slightly tilting my head slightly toward the right, still unable to fully look him straight on, but out of the corner of my right eye, I saw that Tomoya was looking towards the ground, contemplative as ever. "Or, if you wanna look at it in another way, what is it that stops people from rebelling?"

My question broke him out of his daze as his eyes briefly met mine, our heads turning to face each other ever so slightly. "Hm? Maybe talent? 'Cause if you're talented, it's obvious what you should do with yourself. You have a path to follow, you know?"

"Good answer, but what if you can't find your talent?"

"Huh, maybe... love?" Hearing him say the word love…it made my heart skip a full beat right then and there.

"I see. I think that one's a good answer too. But in my case, the answer that I found is family. For the sake of your family, you try to restrain yourself."

"That might be true for some people, but what if your family is the reason you rebel in the first place?"

"When I say "family," I don't necessarily mean your real family. It could be your friends instead. All that matters is that you have something like a family to support you. Of course I-I don't expect everyone to feel the same way, but this is the answer I've found for myself at least." I stopped momentarily, wanting to sort through my thoughts and mentally preparing myself for this story that I was about to tell him. Taking one long, deep breath, I steeled myself, staring off into the picturesque distance…as I began to tell my history.

"Growing up, my parents never seemed to get along. There wasn't even an ounce of warmth between them. There was nothing at all. They didn't even bother to fight. Neither of them were to blame. It's just that as time went on, little misunderstandings turned into big grudges and before they realized it, their relationship had fallen apart." I wondered… whether or not that was the inevitable fate that would befall any couple who no longer loved each other. It was a saddening thought to me, how two people in love could come to resent each other like that so much.

"Back then, I used to rebel all the time. I took out my anger and frustration on anyone I could find. I was such a weak person." Weak was such an understatement... to describe how terrible I used to be long ago...

_Like Tomoya, my home situation was just as bad as his, if not even worse. On days or nights where I became really irritated by the presence of my parents, I found myself sneaking out of the house to get away from the madness. For kicks and for wanting to do something… productive with my abnormal strength, I found myself kicking the crap out of anyone who remotely resembled a troublemaking thug. I remember one incident where I temporarily lost control of my anger and slightly went overboard. Back then, I was usually in a foul mood, but on that day, I was more irritated than I usually was, although I couldn't remember why._

_I was roaming about the town one evening, searching for any guy who was causing any sort of trouble. I had been strolling around one street after another for an hour or so at that point, but had yet to spot anything to remotely resembled trouble. Fortunately… or unfortunately, trouble had a habit of finding me. The moment I heard a set of footsteps that were not my own hitting the concrete in a quietly grating manner, I knew that I wasn't alone. I kept my gaze fixed forward, not wanting to arouse any suspicion from the guys who were following me from behind. The prey was about to become victim to its predator… and I was determined to have my fun that evening. I could've outrun them with relative ease, avoiding a fight that would've been unnecessary, but I was too pissed to think rationally. All my mind could focus on was ridding myself of my anger, through any immediate means._

_My cautious eyes caught sight of an alley. Turning right into it, my walking pace began to slightly quicken. I could hear the guys following behind me matching my speed. They were beginning to grow suspicious now. The small alley eventually led out onto another street. I made a sharp left turn before breaking out into a full-out sprint. The footsteps behind me were beginning to close the gap that existed between us. I eventually found myself running into an alley that proved to be a dead end for me. Slowly turning my head around to face the guys who chased me, I noticed four guys, overconfident smug grins plastered on their faces. They were probably looking for me out of revenge for some other guys whose asses I might've kicked._

_I stared at them with cold, indifferent eyes. With the narrow alley, they were unable to approach me all at once, which gave me an advantage. One had the courage to meet me head on, but my right foot met his stomach, knocking the wind out of him, causing his limp body to crash into his buddies. With one of them unconscious and the other three recovering from the initial shock of what had transpired, it took little time to deal with the other. I was about to walk away from the entire scene, until I heard a faint moaning coming the very first guy who I had confronted. I slowly walked over towards him, standing over his body, waiting for any sort of response from him. Growing impatient, the tip of my right shoe gently flipped over his body until he was lying on his back. My sapphire eyes met his hazel, his being barely able to stay open. I could hear him harshly whispering words of insult to me._

_"…You… bi—" The soles of my shoe collided with his stomach immediately as a deafening cry rang through the air. He was coughing profusely from the pain, small spats of saliva and blood intermixed together, escaping from his mouth and landing on the concrete. It was rather obvious what he was saying, and I didn't want to hear it one bit._

_"What…" Wanting to avoid inflicting any serious injuries, yet wanting the prick to suffer at the same time, I moved my foot from his stomach to his knee..._

_"…did…" …and slammed it down with indignant fury…_

_"…you…" …again…_

_"…just…" …and again…_

_"…say?!" …and again…_

_"Just…" …and again…_

_"…leave…" …and again…_

_"…me…" …and again…_

_"…alone!" …and again._

_His screams of anguished pain reverberated through the streets but no help came to him. I was surprised that there was no one around to witness this, but I suppose that was a good thing for me. And yet, at the same time, there was a pervading sense of guilt filling my soul every time my foot met his knee. A part of me wanted to be able to scream my lungs out until they hurt, but I had no other form of release for my frustrations than what I had now. Eventually, I stopped, my anger having subsided for the most part. I felt that he had suffered enough, but I realized that my anger was slowly corroding my soul._

_I took pride in my violence… and I was too angry to care. It was the only thing in my life back then that I had some semblance of control over. And yet, a small part of me feared that I was slowly becoming the same kind of monsters that I swore to protect from the innocent..._

_"But finally, someone opened my eyes. It was my little brother. He was always quiet and reserved. But if you got to know him, he was very kind-hearted. He was a good kid, but I was a bad sister to him. When I think back on it, I never once saw him smile." I remember coming home one day and Takafumi was just waiting for me right outside of my house. There was a depressingly somber look on his face as his gaze fell upon me. The two of us just stood in one spot and stared at each other. Waiting for any kind of response from him to no avail, I made my way past him without any sort of acknowledgement of his presence there. He moved to the side to get away from me, and briefly our eyes made contact again. In that instant when our eyes met, I saw two things within Takafumi: fear and desperation. The fear… that most likely came from me. Considering the scowl that was usually on my face, I couldn't blame him feeling slightly intimidated by me. The desperation, on the other hand… back then, I was so caught up in my own troubles that I never considered how my younger brother took this entire mess. He always kept quiet most of the time, so I couldn't really tell what was on his mind. Little did I understand… that Takafumi was suffering the most out of everyone in our family… and what he would eventually come to do… spoke volumes about the amount of pain he had been carrying inside of himself after all that time._

"Two years ago, my parents reached their breaking point and decided to get a divorce. As a result, my brother and I were locked in a bitter custody battle. I was ready for the whole ordeal to be over, so I didn't care either way, but he was still young, and couldn't deal with it. He put his foot down and refused to go with either of them. It was the first time he had ever spoken up about the whole situation. And then..." I hesitated for a minute… before I explained to Tomoya… what my brother decided to go through with.

"...he jumped?"

"Yeah. He said if my parents were going to get a divorce, he would jump off a bridge… and he did." _I still remember seeing my younger brother hanging onto the ledge of the bridge, tears streaming down his face. That look of desperation that I saw on his face days ago, everything began to click in my mind. He had been contemplating about this for a while, but I was too blind, too arrogant to even notice my brother's suffering. Our eyes met once more, like it did that one day, only now did I understand what Takafumi was trying to tell me. Unconsciously, I found myself taking one step forward, my right arm reaching out to grab him before he did the unthinkable, but by that point, he had already released his grasp on the railing. I stared in absolute error as I watched my brother's body plunge into the flowing river beneath us. I called out to him in anguish as I found myself jumping headfirst into the river to save him. My brother was ready to pay the ultimate price just to save our pitiful family. If someone like him could do it with any hesitation, I should be able to do the same. And, as selfish as it may be for me to admit this, I wanted to redeem myself in Takafumi's eyes, for neglecting him after all that time. It was my turn… to be a decent, older sibling._

_Unless Tomoya got curious and personally asked for details surrounding this incident, I was going to leave this part of the story out of my conversation. I didn't want him to know that I too was almost at death's door like my brother was. It was dark outside, with only the occasional street lamp offering some light through the blackness. Even so, jumping into that river felt was a certain kind of hell, like an endless oblivion that stretched out before my eyes. The moment my body entered the water, a sudden shock overtook my entire being. My arms and legs suddenly felt numb for a moment, almost to the point of paralysis. The water was freezing to me, numbing me even further. Seeing underwater was all the more difficult due to the lack of adequate light. For the first time in my life, I felt out of my element._

_For once, I was vulnerable._

_With the rapid current of the river carrying my body downstream, I knew I had to act fast if I wanted to save my brother. Here I was, fighting, defying nature itself to save my own brother. It was that one thought that kept me from being swept away. I took a huge gasp of air the moment my head poked out of the water. My eyes were struggling to adapt to the darkness, focusing on anything that could resemble a human body._

_Just in front of me, several meters away, was my brother. He was barely keeping himself afloat in the rushing water. Using the current of the water to propel me forward, I swam my way towards him desperately. As soon as my brother saw me, his right hand reached out for me. I had only a few feet to go before I finally caught up to him, but he was already beginning to sink beneath the surface of the water. Panic soon overtook me on the inside, although I knew I had to stay calm if I wanted this ordeal to end with us both being alive._

_Taking one huge deep breath, I dove underwater once more, kicking my feet and fighting the gravitational pressure of the water with my arms to reach Takafumi. He latched onto my body quickly as I made my way topside before the two of us ran out of oxygen. The two of us drew another large gasp of air the moment our heads burst from the water. I immediately made my way towards the bank of the river, swimming as fast as my tired arms would allow me. The added weight of my brother's body on top of my own slowed me down, but I couldn't give up then and there. In the sullen darkness, I saw something that I could grab onto, something that could pull me out of the water. It was a metal railing that ran along the riverwalk. Instinctively wading through the waters, I swam towards it, reaching up to grab it with my right hand, but I had underestimated the difficulty of pulling myself out of the water with my brother clinging onto me. Combined with the current of the river, I was already straining to maintain my hold. I was able to latch onto the railings with my left hand, preventing my brother and I from being swept away further downstream. I remained still for a moment, wondering about the futility of my own strength if I couldn't use to protect someone close to me, to save my little brother. My strength was meaningless unless I truly had a selfish use for it. And then, I knew that I couldn't give up on myself or my brother. With those thoughts in mind, I mustered up all the strength I had within me, pulling myself and Takafumi slowly but surely over the railing. My footing stumbled the moment I landed on the concrete sidewalk, inadvertently taking several steps forward before my body collapsed onto the grass. I felt a great weight leaving my back as my brother landed the next, his breathing heavy and staggered like mine. The last thing I remembered was my mom and dad calling out for the both of us before blackness completely consumed my sight._

_But at least, I fell unconscious, knowing that I had saved my little brother. Even if I couldn't hear his words of gratitude, him being alive was more than enough for me._

"To this day, I can't really say why he did it. It's not that he wanted to die or anything. The truth is, I doubt even he understood why he jumped. But regardless of the reason, because of what he did, we were able to become a real family for the first time. All the distance that we had put between each other suddenly seemed to disappear." _The four of us were in the same room in that hospital. My parents were crying on my shoulders as we all held hands, silently praying that Takafumi wouldn't die. Even though my brother's body was lying still, being kept alive by a simple ventilator, I wanted to believe that he would make it through this mess, that him trying to throw away his life like that wouldn't have been for naught. I prayed with all of my heart and soul that our family could be given a second chance to start over again, to be able become a loving family that my little brother could be proud of. Whether it was divine intervention from God or not…_

"Fortunately, my brother survived the incident. And in the spring, he was released from the hospital. That was when we first walked down this path. I still remember what he said that day: 'I wanna see the cherry blossoms every year as a family!' Of course, I felt the same way. And so did my parents." _I would never forget that innocent look that was on my brother's face. My family and I were walking up the sidewalk on this same hill that overlooked the town one early Sunday morning. I was the one pushing the wheelchair that my brother was confined in until his injuries were healed while my parents were following closely from behind. Sakura trees lined the street, as pink petals were drifting through the air, falling from the branches that hung above our heads. As our family was walking up the sidewalk, we turned to look at the scenery before us, soaking in all of its wonder and splendor. Takafumi turned to me and said how he wanted us to come here every year together to see all of the sakura trees in full bloom. I think it was my brother's unrestrained smile, free from all the pain and anguish in his heart…_

_…that I was finally able to cry. Tears were streaming down my face uncontrollably as my crying became a bittersweet sobbing. My parents wrapped their arms around me as I felt Takafumi's gentle hands cradling my own. For the first time in my life, I felt unburdened from my past._

I took a shallow, quiet breath, wanting to regain my composure after telling Tomoya that whole story. I was too nervous to even bother to look at his face. I could only imagine the look on his face right. It might have been pity or sadness or mortified; I didn't know and I didn't want to find out.

"This town is always changing. But there are still a lot of people here who cherish these cherry blossom trees and don't want to see them go. I'm not the only one. And even if our reasons are different, our feelings are the same. No matter how cold and distant people may become, on the inside, something warm and precious always remains. Something that never changes. To me, that's what family is like."

I did my best to maintain that smile on my face, but on the inside, I wanted to cry. I knew that Tomoya couldn't return these feelings that I had for him. If yesterday was any indication, he already has a girlfriend that he was devoted to. The most I could be to him now… was just a good friend… and nothing more.

Maybe… in another world, in another time, in another life, Tomoya and I… would've been lovers. But, I knew, that in this world, he and I were not meant to be anything more than just friends. It was a depressing thought, fatalistic perhaps. But at the same time, I didn't want to get my hopes up. I had a student council election that I needed to fully concentrate on. Tomoya… would need someone who could be there for him every step of the way, someone who would be there for him when he needed to be comforted from pain. I couldn't be that girl for him. No matter how much a part of me wanted to be in a relationship with him, the promise that I made to my family took precedence over a personal, selfish desire of my own heart.

I brought my knees closer to me, my arms wrapping around my legs tightly, my hands resting on the surface of my shoes, knees pressing against each other firmly. Staring into the sunset solemnly, I couldn't help but feel that this sight was… familiar to me somehow. In my mind, I saw… or imagined myself slightly older, perhaps by a few years, standing on a lovely, windy beach, staring at a sunset with these same eyes, eyes full of longing and sadness. Aside from the difference in scenery, this moment that I had envisioned in my mind was not unlike the time that I was spending with Tomoya right now. Except, there was one big difference: I was all alone. Unlike the present, this future self that I saw of me was devoid of any human company. Everyone had gone their separate ways in life at that point, living out their dreams and their lives… but why was I alone? **[1]** A part of me probably couldn't move on from him, even after all those years had passed. That melancholic look on my face was a quiet resignation of this loneliness that I was inevitably going to find myself in without Tomoya by my side. It might have sound silly, but I didn't see myself falling for anyone else besides him. He was the only guy that I have met so far who wasn't after me or my body, and that drew my attention, but seeing how he had been relatively distant towards me these past several weeks that I had known him, I had a nagging intuition that my feelings would go unrequited, for one reason or another. Life can be unfair at times, painful as it may be to admit to such an obvious truth. The most a person can do is to just endure it and move on. No matter how much we try to fight against nature or fate, there are times where events are beyond our own control.

Maybe some things in this world… are being _anyone's_ control.

* * *

><p>Sitting here, my mind was still reeling from everything that Tomoyo had just told me, her history, about the fact that she had problems within her family. I had to repeat everything I heard to commit it to memory, to fully absorb it all. Her parents were constantly arguing with one another. She went around the neighborhood and around this small town, beating up thugs senselessly for two reasons: to protect the innocent and to vent her frustrations with her situation back at home. She had a younger brother, who was a quiet boy, the complete opposite of herself. When her mom and dad threatened to get a divorce, it was through a recklessly bold move that caused the Sakagami family to reconcile with one another. I don't think I have the guts to pull off what he did. Hearing Tomoyo recount her past with me, it became increasingly clear to me that we were birds of a feather. Besides rather obvious feelings of affection that she had been harboring for God knows how long, I realized that another reason that Tomoyo decided to become closer with me was that she could relate to the issues that I had with my father. She really wanted to help me.<p>

Even so, I knew that she had another reason for wanting to help me so much. Every moment that I had shared with Tomoyo up until now, and the fact that we were all alone on this hill, watching the sun gradually fall below the horizon, the romantic undertones behind this whole thing wasn't lost on me one bit. I was flattered, yet filled with dread, dread from knowing that I would have to do the inevitable and turn her down.

_Today started off like the typical Monday morning for me. I never liked Mondays, if only for the fact that I was now back in school again. I've never known anyone who genuinely liked Mondays, but I suppose they're out there, somewhere. I was finally back at school again, my suspension having ended today. I was sleeping at my desk until Sunohara woke me up. He told me that someone had vandalized a campaign poster of Tomoyo. After the two of us found a group of students surrounding the bulletin board with the poster graffitied with a black marker, Sunohara asked me what I was going to do to fix this problem. _

_A few moments later, followed by another several hours later, Tomoyo, Sunohara, and I found ourselves in a baseball match after school. My thinking was that if a basketball game could convince the choir club to share Koumura-san as a club adviser, I thought a baseball game could dispel her image as delinquent. After a seven-inning match, and a mess of face-deforming pitches to Sunohara from Tomoyo, we won the match. I noticed that a crowd had unknowingly gathered around to watch the game unfold, cheering Tomoyo on with vigor and enthusiasm. I guess there were plenty of girls who looked up to her. _

_As the school day ended and students were heading home from club activities at school, I was waiting for Tomoyo by the front gates while I noticed that several girls were crowded around Tomoyo near the front doors, conversing with her, the topic of their discussions unknown to me since I was too far away to hear. Waiting around for a few minutes more away from plain sight, I noticed Tomoyo running over towards me._

_"I'm sorry to keep you waiting. I… ran into a minor distraction."_

_"Who were those girls anyway?"_

_"Admirers. Fans. Whatever word you decide to call them, even though they can a little overbearing at times, at least they're sincere. Maybe this plan of cleaning up my image might actually work."_

"Here's hoping." _Maybe this plan might have a legitimate shot of working, but then again, I didn't really think my plans through thoroughly. I was more of an improvisational person. Maybe it was for the best that I was…_

_"Hey, Okazaki, could I ask you for a favor?"_

_"A favor? What kind?"_

_"Could we… stop by somewhere for a bit?"_

_"Where did you have in mind?"_

_"…It's a secret." It was a statement stated matter-of-factly, without any hint of suspicion, except for the withholding of the actual destination itself. A small, gently smile on Tomoyo's face reassured me that it wasn't anything to panic over, but as I sit here thinking back on everything that led up to us being on this hill alone, perhaps her efforts to calm me down did fail in a sense. As we left the school grounds, we made our way down the sloping street. Tomoyo was walking a pace or two ahead of me since she was the one leading me to this unknown destination of ours. _

_"Thanks to you, all those nasty rumors about me have finally been cleared up. I'm grateful."_

_"Don't mention it. I'm just doing it for the Drama Club after all."_

_"I still appreciate it though. Now it looks like my dream might actually come true."_

_"What dream?"_

_"Oh, yeah. Guess I haven't mentioned it to you yet, huh? I wanna protect these cherry trees, no matter what."_

_"Huh?" It was the only response that I could muster and it was done unconsciously, too. With a simple nod of her head, Tomoyo continued on. _

_"They're planning to cut them all down. Students who know about it are really sad. The neighborhood is also opposed to the plan. If I become the next student council president, then hopefully I can start a movement to save the cherry blossom trees."_

_"Wait a sec. Are you telling me that was the only reason you transferred to this school?"_

_"Mm-hmm. This place holds special memories for me. That's why I have to protect it."_

'That's why I have to protect it.' I repeated her words in my head, to let it sink in to me the purpose for her attending Hikarizaka High School. Tomoyo had a reason to live. She had a purpose in her life. It made me think about my own life and what I was doing with it. I only saw myself as a wanderer, drifting from one day to the next, lacking any ambitions for the future. What was I going to do with my life after high school? Where would I even go from here on out? I was still uncertain about what I wanted to do after I got out of high school. Getting a job was my first idea, but that would prove more difficult without some college degree to aid me. It dawned on me that I was merely wasting my life away if I didn't have a reason to live. Was it wrong… to just live this life that I currently do? A part of me already knew the answer, but I didn't want to admit it, not yet anyway.

Finally mustering up the courage to break the silence, I turned to face Tomoyo, who was staring off into the distance with a forlorn gaze. It was rather obvious why the two of us were out here all alone. I had to deal with this problem sooner or later. The last thing that I wanted was to break a friend's heart, but I had to stick with this plan that Ryou and I had concocted if there was going to be any civil resolution to this whole mess.

"Tomoyo?"

"Yes, Okazaki?"

"Thank you... for telling me that story."

"It's no trouble. I figured it's the least I could do... since you saved me. I still feel a little guilty about letting you take the blame for that."

"Don't worry about it. That's all in the past now. Nothing we can do about that now." I simply smiled at her thoughtfulness and consideration towards me. Whether it stemmed from friendship or romance or a combination of both was a different story…

"Hmm, all in the past…"

"Something wrong, Tomoyo?"

"No, it's nothing too serious. It's just… you believed me." The way her words trailed off at the end in such a quiet manner, it sounded like she anticipated skepticism from me about believing her story, as if she foresaw me doubting everything she had just said to me earlier.

"I don't have any reasons to doubt you. I've heard stories around school of a strong and beautiful girl who went around beating punks at night. From the moment I first saw you handle those bikers out in the track field, I knew… that you were her." As I gave it some more thought, I think I knew… what was bugging Tomoyo right now. If I had to wager a guess, she was afraid that I would reject her or begin to slowly distance myself from her. She was probably afraid of getting too close to anyone, for fear that her past would've been exposed to the whole school. If that happened, her chances of becoming student council president would've been blown to hell. Tomoyo was starting her life over again, becoming a better person in the process, all for the sake of her family, to keep a promise she made to her younger brother. She had a goal to strive towards, but one tiny misstep would've ruined everything for her. I could understand where she was coming from, the fear of not knowing who to really trust at all. Sometimes, it's hard to know who you can really trust in this world. The betrayals that hurts the most… are the ones that come from the people you love.

I had a pretty good idea the direction that this conversation that I was having with Tomoyo right now would eventually head towards, so I did what any good friend would do, and offered her comforting words to ease her worried mind.

"Regardless as to who you may have been a long time ago, what matters is the present, the here and now." I knew I was going to regret what I was about to say next, but I still went ahead and said it…

"The only Tomoyo that matters, the one that I… care about… is the one sitting right next to me." I heard her softly gasp at my statement, with a tiny blush on her face confirming the matter. She turned away immediately, not wanting me to see her in such a… vulnerable state. It was amusingly adorable, to say the least. Wanting to kill the romantic subtext of my earlier statements, I continued on. "Anyway... it's hard to imagine that you were the legendary girl who went around beating the crap out of thugs or whatnot."

Tomoyo smiled, feelings of shame and embarrassment apparent on her face. "That's...all in the past now. But… if you're still skeptical, I can… _show_ you some proof."

"Proof? What kind of proof?" At this point, my curiosity was piqued. What exactly did she have in mind that would qualify as proof? My question was answered when I saw Tomoyo's left hand reached for her sleeve on the right side of her school uniform dress and slowly pull it up her arm until her entire right arm was visible to my eyes. I had to blink my eyes several times, forcibly straining my eyelids to rid my mind of any… sexual thoughts that I might have been thinking of then and there over the seemingly-mundane act of a girl casually pulling up the sleeve of her uniform.

What lay beneath it… caught me off guard. Regardless as to how perverted the following statement might sound, I couldn't deny that Tomoyo's body was near flawless in terms of any blemishes, or lack thereof, but I noticed a very visible scar on her right shoulder. It definitely had healed over by now, so it must've been an old scar from years ago, but the white line was still clearly imprinted, stretching from the backside of her arm to the front. Did someone…cut her?

"What the hell happened?" My question came out automatically… it was the only response that I could muster out loud.

"It's… a very long story. I can tell it to you some other time. But, the short version is… I ran across a girl one night. She didn't…_approve_ of my vigilantism. So, the two of us fought, and I sustained this injury from her sword."

"Wait, a sword? Who uses a sword in this modern age anyway?"

"Heh, who knows? But one thing was for certain: she was strong. I wonder if I'll ever see her again…"

"Well, thanks, Tomoyo. I'm glad you trust me enough to tell that story in the first place. Both stories, I mean."

"You're welcome. I... I do trust you, Okazaki. Maybe that's why... I was able to find the courage to tell you. I...don't make it a habit and tell people personal things about my life. I've never… really opened up to anyone like this before."

"I swear; I won't tell anyone what I just heard."

"I know you won't. You're a really good person, Okazaki."

"I don't think so. I just... try to be a decent person, that's all."

"Regardless, I'm really grateful... just the fact that you listened to my story... just being here next to me like this… has made me really happy."

"That... that's what friends are for, right?"

"Friends..." From the way Tomoyo's word breathlessly trailed off into the silent air, I knew that I was on a one-way collision to an inevitable confession that I had to face head on. I...didn't like where this conversation was going...Even so, I tried to play ignorant at first.

"Something wrong, Tomoyo?"

"...Okazaki... what do you think of me?"

"W-wait, what do you mean?"

Tomoyo was blushing furiously all of a sudden. Did I have this effect on every girl that was crushing on me? Make them act completely out of character? "Am I... being a nuisance to you? If you don't want me to wake you up every morning... I can leave you alone."

"No, no, don't do that. I... really enjoy being woken up by you. At least, I can get to school on time now. I know what I'm about to say...might come across as being a little selfish, but...I think it's nice...to have a pretty underclassman waking up their senior." Tomoyo always did worry that she wasn't feminine enough, but in that moment, from her light blush, to her inability to maintain any decent eye contact anymore, to the slight stammer in her speech, she was about as love-struck as a little kid in kindergarten. I tried to give an honest answer, but I had the feeling right then and there that in doing so, I fell further into Tomoyo's trap. I couldn't tell if she was intentionally flirting with me, me being the oblivious kind of guy, but regardless, I was caught hook, line, and sinker. There was no way I was getting out now. And I had a feeling that my choice of words wasn't probably the best, even if they were sincere in its intentions.

"You... really think... that I'm pretty?" I had to deflect this question somehow...

"What guy wouldn't? They would have to be crazy _not_ to think that."

Tomoyo slowly closed her eyes, letting a small laugh escape from her lips. "I guess Sunohara must be crazy then."

"As unbelievable as this may sound, I think even _he_ finds you pretty as well."

"Really?" Her eyes opened immediately at my comment. I had my suspicions that Sunohara had a thing for Tomoyo… or maybe he was just a masochist like Kyou was. Now that I stop and thought about it, those two would make a good couple… or not. I guess it would depend on how much effort those two were willing to put forth into a romantic relationship. The absurdity of mentioning Sunohara and Kyou and romance in the same sentence might be a crazy enough scenario that might actually work. What might prove even crazier was the possibility of him liking both Kyou and Tomoyo. I didn't need this entire web of love triangles being complicated even further than it already is with Sunohara being involved in all of this somehow.

"Well, that's what I'm assuming anyway. Considering how much of a goofball he is half the time, I can't say for certain."

"...And what about you, Okazaki? You haven't told me... what you thought of me." My pitiful attempts to steer the conversation off into another direction proved fruitless. At this point, honesty was the best policy, or so I thought…

"...Of course I do... I think... you're really beautiful." Even with the setting sun off in the horizon, I could clearly see the blush on Tomoyo's face as bright as the shining day. Her sapphire eyes were able to look me in the eye for a brief moment before her head abruptly tilted away from my gaze.

"Tomoya?" My right slightly arched in confusion as my left eye awkwardly closed at hearing my given name being referred to all of a sudden. That was… the very first time that Tomoyo had addressed me by my first name. A confession was inevitable any second now...

"U-uh... yes?" I couldn't make eye contact with Tomoyo anymore, nervousness slowly consuming me. My heartbeat was beginning to race as I waited for the question that I knew was coming. I felt a lump stuck in my throat now. I struggled merely getting that question out of my lips. I knew I wasn't ready to hear this, but people are rarely prepared for moments like this.

"I... I... uh, um..." She took a deep breath... before uttering the words that I knew were coming a mile away. "I... like you, Tomoya. Will you... go out with me?" Tomoyo was looking straight at me, a burning determination in her eyes...and I would be the one to take that same determination away from her. Because of that realization, I couldn't say a single word. My eyes were now looking downward, focusing on the grass in front of me. My heart was now pounding, suffocating me from the inside. I thought I would faint from the stress of it all.

"...Tomoyo?" It almost came out as a choke, my throat straining to just say her name.

"Yes... Tomoya?"

I didn't want to say these words to her. I didn't want to see her cry. The last thing that I would ever want was to see one of my friends hurt. The worst part about all of this was the fact that I would be the one who caused it. It may be out of necessity, but it doesn't lessen my guilt at all. "I'm... I'm sorry... but I can't."

Heartrending is the word I would describe when I saw the look on Tomoyo's face. "Why...why not?" Her voice was on the verge of breaking. I could hear the tears in them. Strangely, I had this feeling that this wasn't the first time I had said something terrible to make Tomoyo emotionally shatter in front of me, even though I knew for a fact that such an incident had yet to occur before now…

"I'm... already dating someone else... I'm so sorry, Tomoyo."

I brought my legs closer to my body, my arms hugging circling around them as my chin rested on my knees. I couldn't bear to look Tomoyo straight in the face now. I forced my eyelids shut, guilt slowly consuming my mind. After what felt like a long bout of silence, I felt a soft hand touching mine. My eyelids snapped open immediately, noticing Tomoyo's right hand gently resting on top of my own.

"Even if you won't admit it, I _am_ troubling you, aren't I?" I immediately turned my attention over to Tomoyo, whose sapphire eyes were sullen with sadness, staring listlessly off into the horizon.

"No. Why would you say that?"

"I think... maybe it's a better idea... if I stopped coming by your house in the morning."

"No, don't do that!" My sudden outburst definitely startled her. Even I couldn't really understand why my reaction was like that to begin with.

"Why not? It just... feels wrong if I were to continue stopping by every morning...considering that you have a girlfriend now. Shouldn't _she_ be the one to do that, instead?"

"I…I don't mind. Seeing you in the morning... really brightens my day a little." Yeah, I was the paragon of selfishness, but I said whatever came to mind to cheer her up and prevent things from spiraling out of control.

"Really?" I silently nodded my head to her question. "Tomoya, be honest with me... Do you... like me?" Her question had me blushing now. I wasn't expecting her to be so direct so quickly. I had to be careful in how I responded her questions. Unknowingly feeding Tomoyo anything that could be misinterpreted as false hope would've been terrible on my part.

"...As a friend, I do like you, no doubt about that. As... a lover, I..." I didn't know how to finish that sentence. "...I don't know."

"...I see."

"Forgive me."

"No, I should be the one to apologize... for asking you something so personal..."

Silence fell upon us once more as the two of us just sat there on the grass. "Tomoya?" That was the second time…that Tomoyo had addressed me by my first name. At this point, I felt it safe to assume that she was going on a first name basis with me from here on out.

"Yeah?"

"If it's not asking too much... who are you dating anyway?"

"Do you know who Ryou Fujibayashi is? You met her before yesterday morning at my house. She's the one with the purple hair."

"Is she the one who hates me?"

I couldn't help but laugh. "No, no, that's Kyou. She's the older sister. Ryou is the younger one, the one with the shorter hair."

"Ah, I see. Sorry for the mix up there."

"Heh, don't worry about it. We all make mistakes from time to time." I couldn't help but feel that there was more to her question than what I had noticed so far, so I pressed on further. "Something else on your mind?"

"I was just thinking... didn't you say the other day that you weren't looking for a girlfriend?" I froze in my spot, remember the exact line I had said the other day about how I wasn't looking for a girlfriend due to the situation with my dad. I sat there in complete silence, unable to fabricate an answer that would satisfy her curiosity. By the time I was ready to just say whatever came to mind, I was interrupted with a question…

"...Can I ask you a favor?"

"Sure, what is it?" I probably should've asked what she wanted out of me first, but I guess it's too late for that now. I'm sure whatever she was about to ask couldn't be so bad... right?

"Is it... okay... if I meet your girlfriend?"

"Huh? Well, I certainly don't mind. But I can't help but wonder, why?"

"I'm just curious, that's all. I can't help but wonder what type of girl you fell for." There was a teasing tone within her voice as Tomoyo tried to subdue the urge to laugh.

"Now, I'm worried. You're not gonna interrogate her, are you?"

"No, I wouldn't do that. I just want to talk to her for a bit, that's all."

"You want to do it tomorrow morning? I can call Ryou tonight and tell her to stop by early."

"Sure, that would be splendid." The two of us continued to stare at the setting sun, which gradually sank further and further below the horizon. "Tomoya?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you know why we see the color red when the sun sets?"

"No, can't say that I do." Tomoyo lets out a subdued laugh, as if she knew that I didn't know the answer. I felt slightly embarrassed for not knowing the answer, but I was curious as to what the answer was…and her reason for asking me such a question to begin with.

"You see, light is made up of lots of colors. And out of all those colors, red is the one that travels the farthest."

"Ah, I see. I never knew that." Tomoyo was now facing me, her quiet laughter unable to be restrained any further.

"If you paid attention in class, maybe you would have known that."

"I'm not a science expert." I retorted back, smiling at her.

"Neither am I. I just know how to listen."

"Are you implying that I don't know how to listen?"

"To your friends and their problems, perhaps. But, you obviously don't listen while you're in class." She made a very good point, one that I couldn't really dispute at all. Letting out a defeated sigh, I glanced at her with a wry grin.

"I guess you really are one of the smartest people in Hikarizaka after all."

"Maybe I am, but tests and exams are just one way of judging a person's knowledge of something. They aren't absolute, you know? They don't accurately measure how intelligent a person may or may not be. A person can be the worst test-taker in the world, but that person might know far more than everyone else around them."

"Heh, you certainly know a lot. Are you sure you're younger than me?"

"Hey, I resent that!"

"I didn't mean it as an insult." The two of us couldn't help but laugh.

"It's your last year of high school, Tomoya. Don't give up, okay?"

"I won't. A lot of things in my life have changed these past few weeks now."

"That's good to hear. Will... will we still see each other... after you graduate? I mean, you are in a grade above me, just in case you forgot. I'm still just a second-year student after all."

"Yeah, I'll still be around here. What about you, Tomoyo? With grades like yours, you could probably make it in university once you graduate. You could probably find a good job once you're out of here."

"I'm... not sure... if that's what I really want, though."

"Why not?

"I... don't want to leave this place. There are far too many precious memories here. There are... people... that I don't want to leave behind."

"But you have the talent, the strength to be able to make something out of your life. Me on the other hand, I'm different. All I can do is stay here in this town, in the same place... until I die. That's the kind of person I am."

"If you can't go anywhere, then I'll come to you! I'll stay with you!"

"But why? You don't have to stay trapped in a miserable place like this. Go to a good college, meet wonderful people, set your dreams high and make them come true! You can aim higher than this Tomoyo, much higher! Don't waste your time staying grounded with me!"

"Please, just stop, Tomoya! Don't say anymore. I don't wanna hear it, all right? I've already decided. Getting good grades and listening to teachers can take me somewhere high and far away, but what if that's not where I want to go? Right here, by your side Tomoya, is the only place I want to be." And then, something clicked in my mind. Her words… and my words to her… something about them… it felt familiar to me in a way, like I had said them to her before. I imagined myself… having a conversation that was eerily similar to this one… with snow falling all around us, the two of us adorned in heavy coats, confessing our feelings to each other, holding each other tight in our arms, consoling one another from the pain of being separated from each other.

It felt like a far-off memory to me… than just a simple imagination of my mind. **[2]**

"Is that... what you really want, Tomoyo? Are you… really okay with that?"

"All I want... is to be by your side. It doesn't matter if it's just as a friend, either. I just... want to see... your smiling face... for as long as I possibly can. I know it's selfish, considering that you already have a girlfriend."

"Thanks... Tomoyo."

"You're welcome… Tomoya." She took this opportunity to move in closer to me. The distance that existed between us had shortened in its gap, as our shoulders were now touching, her head pressing against the left side of my cheek. I slightly leaned back towards her, wanting to ease whatever thoughts and concerns that might had been plaguing her mind.

"...It's a nice view... isn't it?"

"Yes, it is. It's simple moments like these that we tend to take for granted the most. I'm glad...that we can watch it together." I was tempted to respond, but I felt silence was more adequate. I didn't know how long we stayed like that, but we just stared into the fading sun without a single utterance of words between us. The fact that we were here for each other like this… was all that needed to be said.

"Well, it's about to get dark soon. Want me to escort you home?"

"I'd appreciate that, Tomoya. I could definitely use the company." I was the first to get on my feet as I helped Tomoyo up. My right hand stretched out towards her as her right hand gently but firmly held onto mine, propping up onto her feet. The two of us walked side by side, a comforting silence lingering between the two of us as we occasionally gave each other a short glance accompanied with a smile. The two of us separated once we arrived at an intersection in the road.

"Good night, Tomoya. Thanks for taking me home. I'll see you..._and_ your girlfriend tomorrow morning, okay?" She teasingly emphasized the last part of the sentence. I guess she couldn't help but become curious about Ryou.

"Yeah, no problem. Looking forward to it, too. 'night, Tomoyo."

Walking home that night, I couldn't tell for sure whether Tomoyo had really come to terms with her feelings for me or whether she was suppressing the urge to cry in front of me. There was this unsettling worry inside of my heart that she wouldn't be sleeping peacefully tonight, but I had no way of knowing for sure. Ignorance is bliss, as they say, and in this case, I didn't have much of a choice. I had to believe that her words were honest, that her smile was as certain as the rise and fall of the sun and moon.

A part of me didn't want to go back home again, but it wasn't like I had any other place that I could stay at indefinitely. I was walking down the sidewalk through the night, the occasional street lamp I walked past by the only thing illuminating the sight in front of me and the odd random house with their lights still on. I turned my attention to the sky and saw that there was no moon, probably hidden behind dense clouds. Besides my own footsteps hitting the cement, there were no other sounds that my ears could perceive, not a lonely breeze nor a buzzing cicada in the distance and not a single person in the vicinity. Something didn't feel right to me, and a small sense of paranoia was starting to accumulate inside of my mind. I walked faster and faster, until it became a full-on sprint.

I kept running and running, my heart pounding in adrenaline, wanting to find some sort of refuge from the outside world that was now covered in darkness. I thought I would get home soon, but then, I stopped dead in my tracks all of a sudden…

I was out of adequate oxygen in my lungs, my breathing erratic in its pace. I tried to take several deep breaths to calm myself down, my hands resting on my thighs, back arched slightly forward in exhaustion, but my attention was primarily focused on a certain little creature that was standing several meters in front of me, beneath the glowing light of a street lamp. Besides its tail occasionally wagging, the creature itself was completely still, its red eyes piercing into my mind. It was jarringly unnatural to the point where I couldn't move, frozen to the spot where I was standing. I felt like I was under a spell, mesmerized by this creature's mysterious reappearance. By the time I felt like I could move again, I could only take one quick step before all of a sudden, all of the electricity in the area suddenly went out. I was briefly drowned in the blackness of the night for a few seconds, unsure of whether my eyes were really open or not, until the lights came back on. The white light was blinking and flashing, the power intermittent, the buzzing and crackling of electricity ringing in my ears. It felt like a scene from a horror movie, foreshadowing the imminent demise of a main character.

As if real life was that predictable…

I turned my head around, taking several steps in all directions, looking in the trees and bushes, running down the streets a bit more, but there were no signs that the creature was there anymore, if it really was there to begin with.

"What the hell just happened?" My words breathlessly vanished into the air, like a wisp of breath on a cold lonely night. I felt like I was in a living nightmare right now, if I already wasn't…

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><p><span>Author's Note #3<span>: Finally moved on with episode 18! XD The entirety of this chapter takes place between 10:24 and 18:09 minutes of episode 18 of the first season. Some things in this chapter got axed, so they'll probably reappear in one form or another in the next chapter, hopefully. :3

Author's Note #4: This chapter was for all the Tomoyo Sakagami fans out there. ^_^ I hope I did her character some justice. Do tell me if I did okay with writing her parts in this chapter or not in the review box, if it's not asking too much, that is.

_Well, that's the end of chapter 8. If you actually made it to the end of this chapter, then I salute you for being able to put up with my story for this long. If it's not asking too much, any kind of feedback, be it pointing out spelling/grammar mistakes, suggestions, or just your thoughts and feelings on this chapter, anything would be great. All I ask is that you remain civil and keep things constructive. That's all. ^_^'_

_Remember to check my profile page every day to see how much progress I have made on the next chapter. It will go up the moment that number hits 100%. _

_And don't worry, I'm never going to drop this story, so long as there is continued interest from readers for my fanfic. For personal reasons, I want to see this story through to the very end, even if it takes years to get there..._

_Footnotes:_

[1] - 14:53 - 14:59 of episode 22 of _**Clannad ~After Story~**_, _**Small Palms**_ (小さな手のひら). A slightly-older Tomoyo is briefly scene on a beach all by herself.

[2]_ - _19:20 – 23:22 of **_Another World: Tomoyo Chapter_**.


	9. Chapter 9

_03/2/2014__ (Last edited on 03/02/2014) - **Sorry for all of the delays. X_X** And the 2014 Oscars are on right now, so I'll be able to respond to any feedback that I'll get almost immediately. XD 'am rooting for _**Gravity **to win the big one tonight_._

_Hello, people of FanFiction dot net. I'm back again with the next chapter of my very first fanfic. Thank you for all the reviews, everyone! (63 as of this chapter) ^_^ As the author of this story, I'm happy to see reviews being left behind. It motivates me to continue on with this story of mine. ^_^ For those who don't already know, I do personally respond to every single review that is left behind for my story. I figure that it's the least I can do as the author of this fanfic and communicate with my readers. Even though some of the character's personalities might/will be slightly altered for the sake of my fanfic, I'll try to remain faithful to their overall "spirit" that was portrayed in the anime series. _**Clannad**_ is my favorite anime series of all time, so I felt compelled to write a story of my own. I hope you enjoy it. And once again, any feedback that you can provide would be nice and very appreciated. ^_^ And with that, here is chapter 9: _

_Paragraphs in italics denote a flashback. Single words in italics / single words in regular print during a flashback denote emphasis and should be read as such.  
><span>Chapter rated T for:<span> Mild language and suggestive themes.  
><span>Genre<span>: Comedy/Drama/Romance/Slice of Life  
><span>Pairing(s)<span>: (At the moment) Tomoya x Ryou (Of course, they're only pretending to be a couple for Tomoya's plan, but they're probably losing themselves in that lie by now...)  
><span>Crossover(s)<span>: None at the moment..._

Author's Note #1: In regards to the pairings: for Tomoya, the Harem option is winning with 13 votes! (Guess people really want to see Tomoya with ALL the girls! XD) Meanwhile, for Sunohara, it's a tie between Tomoyo and Fuko with 3 votes each. Interesting…

Author's Note #2: In regards to whose perspective this chapter is told from, I'll be attempting something a little… different, again. People might not like who's going to be narrating in this chapter, but I hope this little experiment will prove to be a little enlightening for me. :3

Author's Note #3: This chapter takes place after 18:08 but before 18:10 of episode 18 of season 1. These next few chapters are going to be a bit loose in terms of where it fits in with the continuity of this episode at this point in the anime.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything **_Clannad_**-related, even though I wished I did...And from here on out, I do not own any series/movies/video games that I might make references to or decide to make any crossovers with as well.

* * *

><p><strong><span>Clannad ~Different Days~<span>**

-The Everyday Arc-

_Vague Synopsis - It's not quite the same story that you might remember, even if it feels strangely familiar. A different world, different relationships, different events...different days..._

**Chapter 9 – Lived Up To Your Reputation, Part 1**

I slowly walked towards the sink, having just used the toilet to relieve myself. Turning on the cold water, I felt a cold shiver run through my being for a split second as my eyes snapped shut for a moment before reopening. I grabbed a lump of bubbly soap suds into the palm of my right hand from the soap dispensers, lathering it in my hands until both hands were covered in it. I dipped my two hands in the running water to wash the soap away, and I took the opportunity to wash my face as well, to let it clear away any sweat and dirt on my face. The water splashed against my face as droplets were dripping down towards my chin. The cold sensation of the liquid was liberating to my senses, freeing me from my own thoughts that had been on my mind as of late as I let out an audible sigh of momentary relief.

And there were plenty of things on my mind.

All of us have a mask that we hide behind, whether we realize it or not. Regardless if it's one or several, we wear a mask under different circumstances, to hide a part of ourselves from another, because we all have secrets that we want buried. We put on a façade to fool everyone from seeing the truth that no one wants to see. Maybe ignorance is bliss after all. Maybe we are better off living a lie. But where do we draw the line? Where do the lies end and the truths begin? What happens when a person is unable to differentiate one from the other? When the barriers between the two cease to exist? When truth and fiction become one and the same?

I guess at that point, we truly are lost within ourselves.

A part of me wondered… for anyone who was listening to my words right now, would you believe… that it came from an idiot like me?

I used to be someone who mattered, someone who had something to strive for in life. I was a soccer player years ago. I wasn't exactly the greatest player but I was nimble with my feet. If I had pursued this path, I might have become a great soccer player, maybe even a professional athlete someday. But, that plan got blown to hell the moment I got into an altercation with another player during a match. I didn't remember what his words were to me, but I could still clearly remember how much it pissed me off hearing them. I remember my fist slamming into his face as the other players had to restrain me. I was kicked off the soccer team as a result, and my interest in the sport eventually died off in the years since. I became a delinquent, not taking anything, especially schoolwork, seriously, merely living from one day to the next. Or at least, I adopted that persona to deal with my failures. I thought I could go back to being a person who was dedicated to something any time that I wanted, but as time passed, I found that letting go of old habits became harder and harder. Pretty soon, those delinquent habits became a part of who I was. There was no going back at that point. There were times where I get the urge to think about where I would be in life if I had went down a different path, but sometimes, it's better to just avoid looking at the past. Too many regrets would weigh me down. I didn't need to think about what-ifs, especially during this time in my life, where drama was everywhere in one form or another.

Eventually, I met Tomoya Okazaki shortly after entering high school. Like me, he too was a delinquent, but probably for a different set of reasons and circumstances. Birds of a feather, you could say. The two of us have become friends, partners in crime, usually doing some small acts of deviancy to our own amusements to pass the time. But, things change. Nothing has been quite the same ever since a certain auburn-haired girl entered Okazaki's life and subsequently mine as well. And then, for the first time, I found myself asking whether there was something more out of life that I had wanted but never really pursued. The fact that I couldn't come up with an answer to that question was troubling; the fact that I felt an insatiable longing for… _something_… only made things worse. The feeling was there; I just didn't know what or who I wanted to search for. And then, my mind wandered back to her…

…Nagisa Furukawa.

She fell sick several days ago and hasn't been in class ever since. Our circle of friends hasn't been quite the same with her presence gone. I still recall the scene in the clubroom back on Saturday, where Kyou, Kotomi, Fujibayashi, and I were barely able to strike up any decent conversation. Okazaki was still suspended at that point, but with him back as of yesterday, nothing has changed. So, it was obvious that Nagisa Furukawa was the one who was holding us all together in a way. It might've been her gentle kindness that can be frustratingly irritating at the worst of times, but I couldn't stop thinking about her, even though no one really suspected that I was distracted by her absence. Her kindness was her beauty, so selfless to an absolute fault. And I couldn't deny that Nagisa was a pretty cute girl in her own right as well. For the past few weeks since I had known her, she had been trying to get the Drama Club back up and running again, but there was usually one thing or another that got in her way. For the first time in ages, I felt like I had something that I felt like I _had_ to do instead of something I _wanted_ to do. It was like a spark that ignited within me, a fire that had once burned out a long time ago was now lighting up my entire being.

I felt like I had a purpose again.

Sensei scribbled down writing on the chalkboard. Everybody else was just taking notes in silence, the only noise that I could hear was the synchronized scrawling of pencil upon paper. For once, I decided to be a good student and follow everyone else's example. It was only Tuesday and I still had the rest of the week to deal with. I had to distract myself from thinking about Nagisa. She would be back at school in due time. It was just a matter of patience, but waiting can be a test of endurance. As I began taking notes down, I couldn't help but quickly glance to my left, to see Okazaki the same as everyone else. Lately, he hadn't been slacking off from actual schoolwork. It surprised me, to say the least. Nagisa being around Okazaki probably did that to him, even if he was never conscious of that fact. I then turned my head over to my right, noticing a certain purple-haired girl who was sitting at the front. It was Fujibayashi, Kyou's younger sister, who was also the class representative for our classroom.

Word around the school was that she and Okazaki were seen together in the park two days ago. There were conflicting news that they were seen with Kyou as well. It begged the obvious question: were those two going out? It was hard to tell where the lies ended and the truth began, especially when gossip would distort the details the further along the news was passed from one person to the next. So, I decided that I would do some investigating of my own starting today. I concentrated on the lecture as best as I could, making the occasional glance to the side to alleviate any sense of boredom that would overcome me. As soon as class ended, I noticed Okazaki getting up out of his seat and walking over to Fujibayashi's desk up at the front. It was highly unusual and suspect, considering how much of a lazy-ass he was at times. He was the one who sat at his desk during homeroom while Fujibayashi usually approached him. Today marked the first instance where I noticed that it was the other way around. When I saw Fujibayashi pulling out two bento boxes from her school bag, a thought had just occurred to me. Okazaki had been eating lunch with the Fujibayashi twins for the last week or two. Sometimes, the three ate in here or in the cafeteria. Other times, there were outside somewhere in the grassy field sitting on a blanket. It was strange to see him and the younger sister eating their lunch and the older sister being completely absent. My curiosity was at its breaking point. Deciding that I wanted some answers, I got up from my desk and went over to those two, who were now conversing with one another.

"Oho, what do we have here, eh?" I took several steps, a slight gleeful bounce with each foot moving forward. As I approached the two, I couldn't help but notice the blush that immediately appeared on Fujibayashi's cheeks. Okazaki was indifferent as always as he had sweet egg omelet in between the chopsticks in his fingers and was about to consume it. He didn't notice that I was approaching the two of them until I called out to them both. I had to keep my foolish façade up. I couldn't let anyone suspect that I knew more than what I was letting on. With a stupid grin and a carefree face, I looked at those two, watching for any response that was out of their ordinary routine.

Okazaki was munching on the omelet and didn't say anything until it finally went down his throat with one subdued gulp. "Hey Sunohara, need something?"

"What are you and the class rep up to right now?"

"Talking about our lunch. It was Fujibayashi's turn to make lunch today. Isn't that right?" Turning my eyes from Tomoya's bored indifference over to Fujibayashi, I couldn't help but notice the obviously apparent blush on her cheeks, along with her eyes peering downwards to the left.

"Y-yes, that's correct. Onee-chan made lunch yesterday and today was my turn. Of course, I still… need a little practice, to say the least."

"Well, I'll just leave you two alone now. I've got lunch I need to get, too."

"You're not gonna eat with us today?" I turned my attention to Okazaki, and noticed his navy blue eyes. I stared at it, wondering what secrets were hidden beyond those eyes of his. Knowing that staring any further would be completely awkward, I closed my eyes and shrugged my shoulders, a confused frown on my lips.

"Eh, I feel like a change of pace would be better today. Can't really explain why. Don't worry about me. Go enjoy your lunch." I gave them a reassuring smile but hastily making my way out of the classroom. I didn't bother to look back at their faces but I had a feeling those two would be all right without me.

Strolling through the hallways of the school, my ears couldn't help but overhear the occasional gossip that was starting to build up surrounding Okazaki and Fujibayashi. I was sure those two were aware of it by now to a certain extent. I assumed that they wanted to avoid bringing it up that topic to draw suspicion away from me, but there were secrets that I would eventually know sooner or later. I was a resourceful guy, knowing who to talk to and knowing where to look to find the right information. The time I wasted slacking off from school wasn't entirely wasted.

Eventually, I happened across a familiar door, one that housed the old reference room of the school. The place could be considered a second library of sorts, where older books that didn't get read as much go to be in the company of a young girl. Gently knocking on the door before slowly opening it, I saw the back of a girl as she was attending to something on the stove. She turned around and saw me, smiling at my presence. I waved back at her a little meekly, with a wide grin adorning my face.

"Hey, Yukine-chan."

"Ah, Sunohara-san. Good afternoon. Allow me to make some tea for you. Please, sit down."

"That'd be great."

Yukine Miyazawa… I first met her several days ago. **[1]** Okazaki wanted me to tag along with him one day, and then I found myself in this reference room sipping coffee with him and Yukine. I didn't know the exact relationship between the two of them, but I could sense that she was a person who Okazaki turned to for advice when he had no one else. I figured I could use some advice as well.

As I sat in the wooden chair, I couldn't help but begin staring at Yukine's body. Even though I could only see her back and the summer school uniform that she had on, I admired the slim figure that she had. My eyes trailed her body from the hem of the blue skirt of her uniform, slowly up the middle of her back and to the long sand brown hair. I didn't want her to think that I was a pervert, not to imply that I wasn't, but I didn't want her to think I was a bigger one than I already was. With that thought in mind, my eyes diverted from Yukine's body and onto the rest of the room that I was now sitting in.

The reference room was a tiny room filled bookshelves of unread texts and cardboard boxes probably filled with more unread texts. I didn't know if she was the one who maintained the entire place all on her own, but it was admirable that she would take it upon herself to look after this musty place when no one else dared to. Green curtains that were pulled back revealed the sight off in the distance where see the grassy fields was home to the baseball and soccer teams and the circular track where the track and field and cross-country teams ran. There were drawers and cabinets resting below the windows. A stove and other kitchen utensils that she used to make refreshments and other foods for her guests adorned the counter on top. Two wooden tables that were joined together horizontally laid in the center of the room, each table having three seats. I took my spot on the right, a seat that Okazaki had sat in the last time I was in here, and Yukine sat directly across from me in the other chair. Coming back here into this reference room felt like coming back to a warm house after a long day at work. There was this relaxing sense of comfort here that I haven't felt in any other place I had been to in years now.

For a moment, I had almost forgotten what it felt like to come back to a real home.

Sitting here in this room, I was reminded of when I first met her.

_"It's good to see you here again, Tomoya-san."_

"Hold on a second. What's going on here? Where am I anyway" I remember the day that I first found myself in this reference room. It was a day not unlike this moment that I was now in, except it was the late afternoon where the warm orange rays of twilight shone through the windows. Okazaki was sitting to the right of me, a cup of warm coffee sitting on the wooden table before us.

"It's a place where you can drink good coffee without paying a yen and can kill time as well. It's always nice and quiet here and everything's free. Not a bad hangout, huh?" I turned my head to my right, eyeing Okazaki with a dumbfounded curiosity, my right eyebrow arching confusingly. Noticing Yukine in the corner of my left eye, I then turned towards onto her body as she simply stood there smiling at me.

"By the way, my name is Yukine Miyazawa. I guess you could say I'm the keeper of the second library here at school."

"Isn't that kind of pointless? I mean, why would you wanna have a library full of books nobody reads?" There was a somewhat disappointed look on her face now, as I noticed Yukine walking over towards one of the bookshelves on the right.

"Well, just because people don't read them doesn't mean they aren't interesting." I saw her hand reaching for a book in the middle row of the shelf. Pulling it out and holding it in both of her hands, smiling earnestly again. "Take this one for example. I love reading people's horoscopes. Why don't you tell me your sign, Sunohara-san?" It appeared to be some kind of fortune-telling book. Yukine opened the book up and thumbed through the pages, looking for a particular chapter on horoscopes, I would assume. "Let's see what the stars have in store for you."

"If you can use that thing to tell the future, why don't you tell me how to get the advisor from the Choir Club?

"It says here that orange is your lucky color. Your lucky word for this month is basketball."

"Basketball's lucky, huh?" I found it ironic that basketball would be my lucky word for this month of May, since Okazaki was the former basketball player. A part of me wondered if she had him mixed up with me, the former soccer player.

"Sounds like you're reading Okazaki's fortune instead of mine."

"You are a kind person who cares for his friends. Those around you are touched by the earnestness of your actions. While you may feel that your efforts are made in vain. In actuality, many people are moved by your will to challenge the impossible."

"Will to challenge the impossible, huh? Lucky word is basketball?" I might have been an idiot… some would say that I still am, but… I wasn't exactly slow in a sense. My mind immediately came up with an idea, however improbable it might've been. "Ah, that's it! I ran out of the room, eager to get home and find myself a basketball to begin practicing.

_I kept pestering Okazaki throughout the next day at school, but he eventually gave in. Me, him, and Kyou challenge the basketball team to a match. We were determined to win to prove that we were serious about wanting the Drama Club back again. It wasn't a guarantee that the Choir Club would be watching us, but they showed up, along with several other people who somehow caught wind of this match. Nagisa, Kotomi, Fujibayashi, and my younger sister Mei were watching from the sidelines, cheering us on. A whole crowd of girls who happened to be fans of Kyou were cheering her on specifically from the second floor of the gymnasium. I found it ironically hilarious that she was popular with the underclassmen girls. Anyway, we barely won the match against the freshman team with a game-winning shot from Okazaki. Clichéd, perhaps, but it was moments like those that made the sport of basketball so thrilling to watch and even more thrilling to be a part of. _

_The Choir Club talked with Koumura-sensei to try to see if an arrangement could be made. He told them that he wouldn't mind be an advisor for two clubs. All of us were excited that my plan bore some fruit after all, but in the end, it didn't work. Nagisa had went to the Student Council to try to negotiate the terms, but they said that there were rules in place that prevented an advisor to concurrently be a part of two clubs at once. When I was told the bad news, I felt pissed, like no matter how hard I tried for Nagisa's sake, something would eventually screw her and the rest of us over. And that was when Nagisa fell sick, too. _

And everything has gone full circle.

"You know, I haven't thanked you for your fortune-telling." I graciously accept the hot cup of tea from Yukine's hands as I blew several breaths on it to cool the liquid down.

"Oh, it's not necessary to thank me at all."

"But if it weren't for you, I wouldn't have gotten the idea to challenge the basketball team to a match. It was because of the fact me, Kyou, and Okazaki playing a match against them and having the choir club observe us that we were almost able to get the Drama Club back up again."

"Almost? But what happened?"

"Those stingy-ass bureaucrats in the Student Council, that's what happened. As long as they're running things around this school, the Drama Club will never come back."

"Hmm, as I have told Tomoya-san the other day, the Student Council is full of devoted people, but as a result, they can be a bit unreasonable at times. It's a good thing the elections are coming up so soon, huh?"

"Yeah, maybe there's some hope for Nagisa-chan to get her club back up and running."

Yukine couldn't help but laugh at how I had addressed Nagisa. "Nagisa-chan?" My cheeks became immediately flushed upon hearing Yukine teasingly point out the way I addressed her with the added honorific. It then occurred to me from the way she was able to poke fun at me, she had already knew who Nagisa was to begin with.

"Wait, do you even know who she is?" I had to make sure that I wasn't just imagining things, but from Yukine's smile, I already knew what she was about to say.

"Yes, I've met Nagisa-san a few weeks ago." **[2]**

At first, her response surprised me, but after the initial shock wore off, I couldn't help but let out a subdued chuckle. "Let me guess… she was with Okazaki, right?"

"Yes, that's correct."

It seemed Nagisa and Okazaki were _always_ together nowadays. Those two had become inseparable. "Heh, why am I not surprised?"

"Those two are usually with one another, huh? Are they dating?" There was a curious inflection in her voice that I could detect.

I shrugged my shoulders as a bemused grin was plastered on my face. "At this point, I honestly don't know what's going on anymore."

"So, what brings you here to the reference room today?"

"I… I think I need some advice."

"Advice? Of what kind?"

"Well…" The next several minutes, I spent explaining the entire situation to Yukine. Much to my small bewilderment, her composure remained unchanged, serene and calm with a meditative look on her face, as the edges of her right index and thumb were resting comfortably on her chin, her eyes were downcast towards the table. She resumed her eye contact with me soon enough with a somewhat troubled complexion. My right eyebrow arched in confusion. I didn't know what she was gonna tell me.

"Hmm… I see. It seems your friends are caught up in multiple love triangles. So, if I understand what you just told me, several girls, including Nagisa-san, have a crush on Tomoya-san, but you think that he might be going out with someone else already?"

"That's what it looks to me. Of course, Okazaki's denying this…" I couldn't help but begin grinning all of a sudden. "…but I know when he's lying."

I noticed how Yukine-chan was in deep thought after I told her this. She was probably thinking of a good piece of advice to give me, probably something that sounded smart and sophisticated. Wanting to give her some peace of mind, I crossed my arms and slightly leaned back in my chair, staring up at the ceiling. A part of me was wondering what everyone else was doing right now and whether or not any of them were wondering the same thing about me. I felt… lost, in a sense, as if there was some bigger picture that I couldn't see with my mind.

"Well, may I ask you something first?"

"Yeah, what is it?"

"How much do you like Nagisa-san?" Needless to say, I was stunned into silence by her question, a small red blush running across my face. My eyes darted away from hers, closing in embarrassment, as I heard a soft giggle coming from her direction. I nervously laughed in self-deprecating nervousness before opening my eyes and looking at Yukine's face once more.

"Well, she is my friend, but… she already turned me down, I'm afraid." **[3]**

"If you don't mind me asking, do you remember what her exact words were?"

"Her exact words, huh?" I pondered for a brief moment to recall the words she told me. "Well, she said that there must be some other girl that was more suitable for me."

"Would you want to try again?"

"Confessing my feelings? I don't see what difference it would make a second time around. It's not like she's gonna change her mind… _right_?"

"Hehe, miracles can happen, you know?"

"Maybe. _Maybe_…" But then again, there was no hope for fools like me. I took one hard gulp of the tea in annoyed defiance of the cards that fate had dealt me.

* * *

><p>Lying in my bed, staring up at the ceiling, my mind was in a daze, the silence buzzing throughout my room, the palms of my rough brazen hands resting on the surface of the bed, the tips of my fingers lightly twitching and moving in boredom. I wanted to fall asleep, but I just couldn't. Judging from the lighting, it was probably around late afternoon at this point, considering the orange tint that permeated my room. Staring blankly into space, my eyes started drifting into slumber. My vision was becoming a little hazy, until blackness was all that my eyes could see. I just simply laid on my bed, trying to think of my next course of action.<p>

And then, my mind concocted an idea.

I lazily got up from my position, my right arm reaching over to my cell phone that I was on my desk. Digging through my recent calls, I found Kyou's number and hit dial. My head collapsed onto my pillow while I wrapped the comforter around my body, wanting to stay wrapped up in its gentle warmness. I waited for Kyou to pick up her phone, and mustered up the will to be the one to speak first. One ring followed another rhythmically with a second of silence in between. Seconds kept passing without anybody picking up. I was about ready to hit the end call button and go back to lying on my bed until I heard a click and the faint trances of soft breathing on the other end of my phone.

"…Kyou?" I dared to ask aloud, wondering it was really her or not.

"…Youhei? Hey, did you need something?" I was surprised to hear how softly sullen her voice was, almost as if she wasn't aware of who was speaking to her on the other end of the phone. Usually, she was casually abrasive when she talked with me, but now, it was as if she had forgotten who I was in the first place. Or maybe, she was too sad in that moment to care. Realizing that leaving her alone would be the best course of action to take…

"…Am I calling you at a bad time? I can call back later if you'd want." My right thumb was about to hit the end call button…

"Wait!" There was a pleading desperation in her voice, something that I had never really heard from her after all this time that I knew her for.

"W-what is it?" Even I was rattled by her abrupt response. It took me a while to regain my composure.

"Stay with me."

"What are you talking about? I'm not going anywhere."

"Are you sure?" Her question confused me. I didn't know where she was going with it, so I just kept talking.

"Yeah, I'm sure!"

"Then… can we talk for a bit?"

"What's on your mind?"

"Youhei… how long have we've known each other for?"

"Since last year, right? **[4]**

"Yes… And I can trust you, right?"

"Kyou, where are you going with this?"

"I just… need someone to talk to right now."

"There's something on your mind right now, isn't there?"

"Heh, you're right." The silence between us settled once more, dragging on and on. Remembering my original purpose for calling Kyou in the first place…

"Do you mind if I ask you something?"

"What is it, Youhei?"

I didn't want to beat around the bush any further, so I just got straight to the point, even if it was rather blunt. I was taking a shot in the dark asking her this question, but I had a feeling she was depressed over him. In fact, it wouldn't even be a stretch to imagine that she had been sobbing over him before I came along and called her. Sometimes, I wondered what it felt like to have someone worry about me… in that way, to be desired by another, to be wanted, to be loved. Why couldn't you look at me? Why can't you see that I liked you, too? Why are you so focused on him anyway? What makes him so special anyway that you couldn't look at me instead? I wanted to ask Kyou all of those questions, but I couldn't bring myself to do it.

And I hated myself for being so weak… and so selfish.

But who could ever love a fool like me?

I found my eyelids closing slowly and fought back a huge lump that had formed inside of my throat, my entire body slightly trembling within the noiselessness of my room. I took a small quiet breathe so that Kyou couldn't help me, breathing in deeply and gradually letting the air out of my lungs. After a moment of silence, pressing the phone firmly against my ear until it hurt, I finally asked. "…It's about Okazaki, isn't it?"

"Eh? What makes you say that?" It didn't surprise me that Kyou would deny the truth. She was stubborn like that. Some things never change.

"Your voice. You're never this sad."

"Heh, guess I wasn't trying hard enough to hide it then."

"Trying hard enough? You weren't even trying at all! You _wanted_ me to hear this!"

"It's… it's nothing important. Don't worry about it." I knew at that point that Kyou wouldn't be telling me the truth about what was bugging her anytime soon, and I didn't want to make her sad any more than she already was. Yelling at her would just make her pissed at me, and that would be the end of this phone call, so I attempted a different approach.

"If it wasn't important, you wouldn't be like this."

"Why do you care so much?"

"You said we were friends, right?"

"How far… would you go for a friend anyway?" Her question gave me pause. To be honest, I had never really thought about how far I was willing to go to help out one of my friends. All that mattered to me was that I could do something for them.

"I'd…" I took one huge breath before I yelled… "…I'd _die_ for them!" A moment of weakness fell over me as I found myself screaming my lungs out in that very instant, wanting to rid myself of the frustrations, all the anger, the loneliness, the unfairness of my life, that had been inside of me for who knows how long. I failed to realize the tightness of my grip on the cell phone as my fingers started to feel a little numb. I didn't comprehend how stupidly corny it sounded until I was met with a deafening silence, shortly followed with a sound of laughter bursting on the other end of my cell phone. My face immediately lit up in shameful embarrassment as my head fell back onto the pillow, groaning miserably at that sudden outburst. Kyou just kept on laughing and laughing. And yet, I couldn't help but softly grin at the fact that I was able to cheer her up, even if it was only for a moment.

"Thanks… I really… needed that." Her attempts at stifling her own laughter were pointless as she kept on laughing and I kept on laying on my bed in embarrassment, covering my face with a pillow to hide my face and my pride. I stayed like that for a few moments until I felt the heat dissipating from my face.

"You know, I saw something… interesting earlier this morning."

"Huh? Interesting?"

"Yeah, it was Fujibayashi. She rarely talks to Okazaki in class. The few times where she does, it's because she has to, as the class representative. And she's usually a nervous wreck as well. But ever since yesterday, I noticed that she's been talking to him, and she's actually pretty calm about it too.

"I see…" The fact that she didn't bother to elaborate was already a red flag, so I had to ask the obvious question that needed to be asked.

"Are those two… dating?"

"…You really want to know?"

"Wait, you can't be serious! If I had to be honest, they aren't each other's type."

"Why are you so worried?"

"Wait, are you jealous?!"

"Say one word to this to anyone, and I'll wring that filthy little neck of yours."

"Okay, okay, I'll keep my mouth shut! I still find it hard to believe that Okazaki and Fujibayashi are really going out like this. They just don't fit each other."

"And why's that, huh?"

"They're total opposites."

"Don't opposites attract?"

"Only when they have some level of chemistry. I honestly don't see it between those two."

"You don't, huh?"

"Of course not! But… if those two are trying to make things work, who are we to interfere in their affairs?"

"…"

"You're jealous of your sister, aren't you?"

"M-me? Jealous?!" I couldn't contain my laughter any further as I found myself bursting out loud at Kyou's reaction at my question. Pretty soon, I could hear her laughing with me in unison. Whatever made her sad in the first place, I was thankful that I was able to take her mind off of it, even if it was only temporarily. Maybe that was enough to get Kyou's spirits lifted. I didn't know if she was pretending to be happy for my sake, but hearing her laughter was more than enough to ease my mind.

"Hey Kyou, do you know where Nagisa's house is?"

"Well, I tagged along with Tomoya once. I should be able to remember the way there. Were you planning on heading over there?"

"Yeah. Let me call you back in a bit. I need to get dressed first."

"Okay, call me when you're done."

"Will do." Hitting the end call button on my phone and gently tossing it onto my bed, I got up from where I was laying and proceeded to change out of my current attire of clothing. Hastily stripping off my clothes from before and putting on a new set, I was now wearing a white shirt with long brown khaki pants. I hurriedly slipped on my socks and grabbed the keys to the door before opening and slamming the door shut, sprinting down the hallways and towards the stairs. My steps were rhythmic and fast as I made my way onto the first floor. Just when I was about to start sprinting once more, I noticed the sight of a certain woman down the hallway near the entrance of the building. I screeched in terror upon noticing her, not wanting her to chastise me for running in the hallways now of all times. I was hoping that she would be in another part of the dorm building, but I guess my luck had run out, if I ever had any to run out to begin with.

"Sunohara, were you just running?"

"No!" I put my hands up nervously, defending myself from her correct accusations. My pace slowed down a bit as I slowly walked towards the entrance. She was walking towards me as well.

"Misae-san, I'll be staying out a bit tonight."

"Will you be back before curfew?"

"Remind me what happens if I'm not?"

She let an exasperated sigh before she continued on, as if she had thought I had knew this by now. "You'll have to find some other place to stay for the night."

"You expect me to sleep in the streets?!"

"No, but I'm sure you can find somewhere to sleep soundly tonight, right? And where are you going at this time anyway?"

"I have business that I need to take care of."

"Just… try to stay safe, okay?"

"I swear, I'm not gonna do anything illegal!"

"That's not exactly encouraging to hear…"

"Hmph… Thanks for worrying, Misae-san."

"Heh, that's what I'm here for, after all."

"I'll see you tomorrow then, when I get home from school."

"Okay, see you later, Sunohara." She waved goodbye to me as a smile formed on her face. Misae and I had a rather interesting relationship. Well, as interesting as a relationship between a tenant and a landlady could get, anyway. I always saw her as a mother figure in a way. Being away from my mom and dad and living in the dorms during my time in high school, I was thankful that I had an older woman who I could look up to. Of course, I didn't think I would ever tell her this anytime soon, if ever, but maybe someday, I might.

Slipping on my shoes before heading outside, I stopped and looked at the sky, a brilliant orange shining across the skies. I got my cell phone out from my left pocket and thumbed through the list of recent calls, hitting the call button on Kyou's name.

"Hey Kyou, I'm about to head off. Which direction am I supposed to go in?"

Running down the streets, I was filled with a certain carefree glee that filled my entire body. I wanted to see Nagisa again, to at least consider Yukine's advice and try confessing again, even if I already knew what her answer was going to be. She already told me once before that she didn't have any romantic interest in me. I figured, what was the harm in trying again? It couldn't hurt any more than it already did at this point. Nagisa might have rejected me once, but Kyou was too fixated on Okazaki to ever give me a chance. With my cell phone firmly gripped by my hands accompanied by my dimwitted optimism, I followed Kyou's instructions to get to Nagisa's home.

"Hey, where do I turn at this intersection?"

"Left… I think?"

"You think?!"

"Let me check the directions on the internet again."

"It would've been easier if you just told me Nagisa's address. I could've looked them up myself."

"But where would the fun be in that?"

"Are you toying with me, woman?!"

"Damn it, Youhei, quit yelling into the phone!"

"Well, _excuse_ me, _princess_!"

"Ugh… I'm kicking your ass into a wall when I see you tomorrow."

"Don't you mean _if_?" I couldn't help but burst into laughter at her failed threats of violence against me. It was a constant exchange of insults and retorts and the occasional word on which direction I was supposed to be heading in.

I didn't know how long it was until it took me to finally see the sight of a building that had Furukawa Bakery etched onto it, but I was approaching her house, just several meters away, I noticed a familiar sight standing right in front of the Furukawa bakery. With her short lavender hair and the lack of a white ribbon being tied on her left side of her hair told me that it was the younger Fujibayashi twin staring down at the ground.

And then it hit me. Seeing Fujibayashi standing outside in front of the bakery, several meters away from the front door, standing absolutely still without so much as blinking an eye or twitching a muscle, with a distant look on her face obviously told me what I had suspected since this morning. From the lunch, to Kyou's complete avoidance of mentioning her younger sister, to Fujibayashi all by herself in front of me, I knew…

…those two were avoiding one another.

With that realization in mind, I slowly walked up towards the younger sister, careful to avoid saying anything related to Kyou at all. "Hey, Fujibayashi! I'm surprised to see you here."

"U-um, hello there, Sunohara-san. It's a pleasant surprise as well."

"Why are you out here?"

"Ehehe, just a little cold feet, that's all. I have a lot of things on my mind lately."

"Same here. Let's head in together. "

"Um…"

"I won't stay long. I just wanted to drop by and say hello to Nagisa for a bit. I'll leave shortly after that. I have a feeling you came over to the Furukawa bakery for a reason, huh?"

"Yes. There are things that I want to talk about with Nagisa-chan."

"I see. Let's go then."

"…Thank you, Sunohara-san."

"Heh, don't thank me yet. Thank me… when this is all over." The two of us looked towards the door, as a foreboding sense of fear that had lain dormant was slowly filling my body. A huge lump formed in my throat as I nervously gulped it away. I couldn't remember the last time I felt this kind of uneasiness. But still, I wanted to see Nagisa, so I had to suck it up and go through the door. Realizing that Ryou had taken the first step forward, I took a few giant steps forward and managed to get a grip on the handle of the sliding door.

It was terrible to see the Fujibayashi twins "fighting" like this, in this passive-aggressive manner. It reminded me of the times where I got into arguments with my younger sister Mei. Growing up with her, it was inevitable that we would get into the occasional disagreement, but the two of us usually patched things up in a short amount of time. But then again, neither of us were fawning over the same person, so I wasn't sure if the same scenario could apply to the two girls. I didn't know what I could do to help, but I had to do something. Lying around on my ass moping wasn't going to solve anybody's problems, that much I knew. The only thing I knew for certain in that moment was that this had to end soon. Regardless of who Okazaki would settle with, this drama would keep going on and on otherwise. Our group of friends, my… second family in a way, meant a lot to me. I had to do my part to save it. The longer things dragged on, the more damage this whole ordeal would inflict upon all of us.

I slid the door open to the right, as a bell rang above Fujibayashi and me, alerting anyone inside of our presence.

I didn't want to admit it, but I had a strange feeling, one that I couldn't really explain in words, despite my best intentions to do what I felt was right…

…that I wasn't supposed to be here right now.

* * *

><p><em>Well, that's the end of chapter 9. If you actually made it to the end of this chapter, then I salute you for being able to put up with my story for this long. If it's not asking too much, any kind of feedback, be it pointing out spellinggrammar mistakes, suggestions, or just your thoughts and feelings on this chapter, anything would be great. All I ask is that you remain civil and keep things constructive. That's all. ^_^'_

_Remember to check my profile page every day to see how much progress I have made on the next chapter. It will go up the moment that number hits 100%. _

_And don't worry, I'm never going to drop this story, so long as there is continued interest from readers for my fanfic. For personal reasons, I want to see this story through to the very end, even if it takes years to get there..._

_Footnotes_:

**[1]** – Youhei first met Yukine back in episode 15 of season 1.

**[2]** – Yukine first met Nagisa back in episode 3 of season 1.

**[3]** – 13:33 – 13:49 of episode 7 of season 1.

**[4]** – Episode 23 of **_Clannad ~After Story~_**. This episode takes place a year before episode 1 of season 1.


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